Mechs and Life
by Kirity-Kitty
Summary: Must be rated M for the violence and language and blah, blah, blah... Just a story about two girls living normal lives...with giant mechs...and enemys...like I said, normal life. Yaoi, Yuri, and normal couples included.
1. Chapter 1

Our Twisted Internationally Fucked Up Sci-Fi Fantasy Mystery Comedy Story Role Play Mech Thingymajig

Writers: AL-kun (Kirity_Kitty) and Neni-chan (Wolfy)

* * *

She streamed across the sky in a blur of black and red. When she slowed down you could see a small bumper sticker that said 'Fuck the World'...sort of. It was placed on the foot of her mech.

Her only comrade was colored the opposite, dawning red and black instead of black and red. The majority of people and mech alike could never tell the difference between the two. On her left forearm was the same sticker, 'Fuck the World'! She happily danced around in the sky, carrying an evil grin wherever she went. Below her were speeding cars and some baron wastelands.

The girl in the black and red mech's name is Amadi Kokoro. And that unsurprising enough meant free spirit. Just as her name meant, she was always free spirited. She was always walking on air as people would say and didn't really listen to anybody. When it came to her mech though...If you went near it she would growl and hiss until you left. It was hers and hers alone.

Damyen Haruki, the red and black one before mentioned, paused a few hundred feet above a telephone pole. She breathed in a sign of boredom, catching a great idea in her throat. "Hey, Moko-chan, I am bored. When can we have some fun?" The girl leaned back drawing out a soft irritated sigh into the hand shaped radio earpiece. It was random, out of place, but Moko-chan had the same one, so she wasn't alone with the oddity of it all.

"Hey, Dai-chan. How come when I'm going 600 mph and the cars are going 60 mph they seem to go faster?" Amadi spoke in a tone that made her sound like she was questioning life itself.

"Hm...I believe it is because we are awesome like that! It's something like that. Care to explain?" She smiled, sitting up in anticipation.

"Sort of, but really I just want to freak people out." And with that she was heading towards, not 60 mph cars, but 25 mph cars. Amadi was quite satisfied with how this day was turning out. She moved up right next to an old Nissan Centra and flew right past it. "I love this job!"

Damyen firmly placed her hands on the controls, chuckling in amusement. Flying above cars did sound like fun, but this psycho of a pilot wanted entertainment. "Hm, What is there around here?" Her eyes quick scanned the area around her, moving forward when the GPS map located a nice little children's school nearby. "Moko-chan, I may become twisted from doing this, but it could be rather enjoyable."

The girl flew down, facing the most impressive landing of her life and then taking off again. Naturally, the teachers rounded the kids inside in case of a terrorist attack from the mech. On the other hand, their students marveled at how "cool" and "awesome" it was. "I'll be sure not to draw attention to us. No harm in caring for boredom, ne?" She winked in an almost devious way. "I love screwing with people's heads!" Her mech circled the route, switching directions and moving to different areas of the school ground everyone in a while.

Amadi looked ahead of her as she noticed that people were slowing down. "Nooooooo," she screamed. "Dai-chan! There's traffic on my end." Okay, she thought. First, I'll land nicely and then I'll get rid of the traffic. Yes~. This plan is brilliant, brilliant, brilliant! Damn it. I need to stop watching The Emperor's New Groove. Stupid Ezma. "Oh!" She slowed down in front of what looked to be an accident. She landed on the ground softly (well, as soft as a three ton mech could). There was an officer there directing people away. "What's the problem here, sir?" She used a polite tone as to not arouse any suspicion.

The man looked up at her. "Ya know, flying mechs in the city is against the law."

The machine was still. Only a few clicks and whirrs came from it. After a moment Amadi sternly said, "What's the problem here, sir?"

The officer's gaze never left the mech. "Do you have a license for that?"

The machine was still...again. More clicks and whirrs came from it. Then, the mech disappeared in an eruption of speed.

"Ne, Moko-chan. Where are you going?" Damyen switched on a monitor, which displayed a video communications screen. "Stupid police..." The red and black mech flew around the school, in the direction of the "traffic accident". Whoever dared to question her authority would be brought down, even if it meant picking a fight with the government. "Never mind, I'm going in." She would treat this as if it was a solo mission.

The mech landed in front of the scene, recklessly causing a small earthquake to pass through. "hey there, Mr. Bigman. Never seen a cop official like you before. Which unit did you branch from exactly?" She spouted into the loud speaker. Her mech was more threatening than coming out and looking, well, human.

"Boss, it's the same one as before, the one that just vanished." Damyen didn't hesitate to pull a gun out and hold it to his head.

"Nuh-uh. This one is red and black, that other one is black and red. Please refrain from that little mix-up happening again." These guys hadn't had their training, it was obvious to her.

"I'm sorry...I won't do that, Ms. Red and Black, unless you are missing a license." His grin really pissed her off.

"Here it is, picture and everything." She pulled out a card, opening the hatch window long enough for them to verify her identity. "What about you? Do you have the verification that you indeed work for the government?" His eyes widened, and she could feel him start to tremble. "That's what I thought. Carry on." Damyen took a jump, launching herself in the air, all the while laughing her ass off. "And they tried to pin me. If I reported him, he would be in prison. I love fake ID! Secret non-mission accomplished 'Red and Black!' She continued back over the school building.

"You still around Moko-chan?" The girl had no morals.

"THEY'LL NEVER CATCH ME ALIVE!!!" she screamed. You could hear her laughing maniacally.

"Moko-chan! GOD, WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU? I JUST SAVED YOUR A$$ FROM BEING CHASED AFTER! TELL ME WHERE YOU'RE GOING, DAMN IT!"

"Oh!" She stopped screaming. "I'm gonna go take a nap at our base!" She picked up her screaming again. "GYAHHHHHHHHH!"

Damn that girl, Damyen thought to herself. "Fine, whatever." She breathed. "I guess I'll meet you there." Essentially, she logged out of the communications system, except for the GPS tracker, which was faulty, so it didn't matter either way. The young girl sat back, letting out a sigh of remembrance.

It took at least half an hour to fly to the place she always ends up at. This was her place to think or not think. The area didn't consist of anything besides a run down, beat up old shack, surrounded by forest, and more forest. The busy city seemed light years away.

She climbed out of the mech, jumping onto the slightly muddy grass, landing on both feet perfectly. Damyen lay under a large tree, she didn't know what kind. Memorizing the names of plants and the like was not her specialty. "Damn, how long has it been?" The questions meant various things, and she would careless which way it was taken. Her eyes slowly closed as her body leaned against the hard, cold metal of her red and black mech. "It's all so different," Damyen whispered before fading out of her reality.

Somehow Amadi got lost trying to get back to the base. Her GPS was working fine, but she didn't know how to use it. She just thought it was an annoying game that wouldn't stop beeping. "Shut up! you annoying little beeping bastard!" She landed in the middle of a four-way intersection. She looked at the street names and started muttering to herself. She shuffled some papers around until she found a map. "If I'm here and the base is here, then I need to go that way. Hmmm...If I pass the speed limit I can be there in..." Her face was laced in thought. "An hour!" She shrieked in shock. "How lost did I get? Okay, I better get moving." She blasted off the ground and flew off toward the distant, non-visible forest ahead.

It took an hour longer than she predicted even though she had been going way over the speed limit. She approached the shack slowly when she saw her friend's mech. She was sleeping against red and black. "This is my chance," she whispered to herself. She grabbed a chest behind her seat with an evil grin. She then climbed into red and black.

Damyen twitched. An odd pain resounded in the left side of her head. She rose up without blinking. The girl was still sleeping. Perhaps it was a special talent that others found frightening. Most couldn't even decide if she was worse sleeping or awake. It didn't matter. Anything in the nearby area was in danger.

"Who the hell," she quietly said with her head down, "is touching my mech?" The devious tone should have been the warning.

Another pain, stronger and prominent, would have knocked her out, had she been fully awake. "Amadi, you bitch! Get the fuck away!" Damyen stood stock still at the base of her mech, looking for a brilliant opening to attack. She knew it was her best friend, but even an ally pissed her off when they forgot the rule of "Touch the mech, and you die." Those foolish enough to try and break that rule, aren't living anymore and if they are, they are now more paranoid than ever before.

"Sorry," Moko-chan muttered. She had pulled out a tape recorder that was playing sounds that you would hear if someone really was working on the mech. Amadi slunk out of Damyen's mech and leaned against her own. "Jeez, Dai-chan. Can't you take a joke!?" She could feel Damyen's anger chasing after her. "I said I was sorry!"

"Sorry just ain't fucking cutting it for me!" The red haired girl was flaming now, full in her anger. Damyen slowly moved forward again, head up. "Now...WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING..." She was still unaware of her actions and her words. "TO MY MECH?!" Her eyes widened. At that moment, if one was to look up the definition of "hostile" and/or "Devil spawn", along with other common related words, the name Damyen Haruki beside a picture would be found.

"Amadi FUCKING KOKORO, get the fuck away from this area before I destroy you." If was her mech, and for all the years she owned it, no one else could touch it. There was even a time when nobody could look at it without getting a punch in the face. In the space of an instant, she quickly brought out a small needle containing unknown liquids.

Moko-chan's face was full of fear. She didn't like needle. "Heheh. Hey, Dai-chan? Watcha gonna do with that?" She was trying her hardest not to stutter. She was trembling, but not violently. Amadi knew that when her friend started cussing at her then she should start running. She stumbled into her mech and closed the hatch with a 'click'. She hadn't flown away just yet. She was hoping that her 'friend; would stop being scary. A screech came from her mech, then words, a song, maybe. Too light to be understood, but loud enough to be heard.

Damyen wasn't backing down. She followed her friend, gently walking in time with the song, starting to sing along. The melody was familiar, though even music didn't have the strength to pull her out of her phase. Sleep took a toll on her mind and body. "Trying to run, now, I see. Well it won't work." It was so close. All Damyen had to do was push it in a little more. The needlepoint pressed up against the other girl's arm. "Are you ready?"

Her eyes narrowed, pinning down the single area in her mind.. red and black was private property and this base was not meant to be her base. Amadi was her only comrade at the moment and she was about to destroy her with the contents of the needle. "Amadi, don't piss me off again!" And she jumped down, climbing into the cockpit of her own mech, unknowingly pressing the autopilot button and falling back into a deep sleep.

* * *

Well, that's the end of chapter 1. Hope you enjoyed it and be afraid because there is more to come. Please read and review.


	2. Chapter 2

Hello readers! This is chapter 2 so enjoy reading.

* * *

_Thank God, _Amadi thought. _I thought she was going to destroy me._ After a few moments she stopped trembling. Her communications screen began to flash. She pushed a button and spoke softly into the headset that sat loosely on her head, "What's up?"

A voice came through with a crackle. "I...ve a...sion"

"Hang on a moment," she said in the same soft voice. She shifted into her seat and launched into the air. "Go ahead."

"I have a new mission for you and Damyen."

"Does Damyen have to come?"

The voice sighed. "What did you do?"

She blushed. "Why does it have to be my fault?!" She shouted.

"Because, whenever you two fight, it's always your fault," the voice said calmly.

"I was just joking and I did apologize!"

The voice sighed again. "Fine. This can be a solo mission for you. I need you to train my brother. My twin brother."

Amadi broke out in laughter. "So there's another guy walking around with the same pink hair as you!" This time when she spoke she no longer had the same softness. It had changed to a mocking tone.

"No. He had blue hair."

Amadi stopped laughing hard, but still chuckled. "What do you mean had?"

"I mean we switched hair colors. I thought it would be more fun if he got made fun of by you like I had when you went back to normal."

"It will be so much fun," she said with a devious smile appearing on her face. "What do I need to teach him? Math? Science? Engineering?"

"That would be great, but I need you to teach him how to be a pilot."

There was only silence.

"I know you don't like people near your mech, but I need you to teach him."

Amadi stayed quiet. She wasn't really all that great at teaching people things and on top of that some guy was going to be in her mech. She wasn't as protective of her mech as her friend who nearly killed her for it, but still...

"I just need you to teach him the controls," the voice to continued. "Amadi." The voice was pleading now. "I don't have anyone else to turn to." The voice was sad and full of pain.

"Why does it have to be me?" Tears were starting to form in her eyes.

"You and Damyen are the best, strongest and the only ones I can trust."

"Damn it. You know what happened last time I tried-"

"I know how hard it is for you to do this, but it can only be you and Damyen. Your better than back then. It won't happen. I promise." The voice was sincere.

"Why do you have to say such stupid things? I'll teach your brother. I owe you that much at least."

"Thank you."

The communication ended. Amadi broke into tears and entered the coordinates of the pickup point for the pink haired boy to be picked up. She set it to autopilot as she fell into a much needed coma-like sleep.

--

She could see everything vividly. The things that Amadi had taught her weren't enough. The young girl was only in her late teens, about seventeen. She had trained to be a pilot for most of her life. Now, it was her turn to teach. She was put in charge of a girl named Rachel. She was told to teach her everything that she knew. Rachel was only thirteen. Amadi didn't understand why the military kept recruiting such young kids, barely in their teens. She trained the girl to the best of her ability. One day they were sent to fight in a nearby town. There were many casualties, but there was only one that will stick with Amadi her entire life.

It was a sunny day with few clouds in the sky. The girls were doing well. Amadi and Rachel. Everybody called them the Siamese twins because you could never see one without seeing the other. The girls were fighting side by side. Each watching the other's back. Slowly the enemy spread them farther apart from each other until they could no longer defend the other. As soon as they were split the younger girls confidence shot down. She had never been separated from her teacher in battle before and she got scared, made rash actions, which was a bad decision. Amadi always taught her to keep her cool when fighting and to think before strike. She made a wrong move and sliced at her opponent, missing. The other mech placed its sword right through the center of Rachel's...the cockpit.

The alarm had been buzzing for hours. Nobody was left alive to turn it off. The enemy had won the battle. Nothing was left, but the dead bodies of mechs and civilians. Blood ran through the town. The stench of dead bodies mixed with the burnt oil from the mechs and it burned her nose. Amadi was standing alone outside of her mech. It shined black and red in the light. She was thinking about killing herself. She could just do a dive bomb with her mech and end her pain now. Her eyes were empty. Instead of killing herself she wandered into the town. She was tired and weak, but she control where she was going.

She heard some noises. A foot soldier with a Smith and Weston in his hand stood behind her. "Surrender or die," he said. The voice was still quite young and a little shaky.

Amadi turned around with her arms open as if she was going to hug him.

He pulled tighter on the trigger, but didn't pull it hard enough to shoot her. "I don't want to kill you, so please."

"I'm already dead." She muttered. "I lost everything that mattered. My friends all died out here. And Rachel...I couldn't help her at all." Tears began flowing down her face and hit the ground, adding to the disgusting mess.

The boy put his gun in his holster. "You're not dead, idiot, not yet. You're in pain right now, aren't you?"

She nodded and the tears kept flowing.

The boy walked up to her. She didn't move, except to put her hands down. "Don't be too hard on yourself. I don't mean to brag, but our military's pretty good."

"What are you bragging for?" She said dully. The tears stopping. "You're not even a fighter." She showed her first sign of playfulness since the attack. "And your hair is pink. That kind of guy has pink hair?"

"Shut up," he shouted. It wasn't a loud shout, but it wasn't exactly said nicely. "Come on."

She followed the boy back to her mech. He looked up at it and whistled. "You can actually fly one of these."

Amadi was silent and nodded.

"Good. Then you can work for me."

"I'm not working with the government anymore," she protested.

"I never said you had to. I wasn't happy about killing people and I never will be."

"Then what work will I do?"

He smiled. "Personal business. I need more money to help raise my brother."

"A brother, huh? Must be nice."

"Not really. He's a pain in the ass. Now then, let's go home. By the way my name is Jack."

"Amadi." _Home,_ she thought. _I've never really had one other than the military base. I wonder if it will be the same_.

--

Her mech landed and some weird alarm woke her up from her slumber. She couldn't remember what she was dreaming about, but she had a small warm feeling in her heart and the word home was stuck in her throat. She opened the hatch to see a tall boy with mildly fair skin in tight-fitting clothes facing a mech with some small form of disdain. He turned around and saw Amadi come out of her mech. His soft blue eyes, almost white, stared at her. She felt as if he was staring into her soul.

"Hey. Are you Jack's brother?"

"Yup. I'm Warren Peese."

"Cute name," she laughed. "And nice pink hair." Warren had grown so much since she saw him last. She thought about how he used to look. Short, thin as a twig, not very strong at all. Now, his shoulders were broad and he had a more defined figure.

The boy blushed. "My brother said that I could only get pilot training if I dyed my hair pink, so please don't make fun of me."

"Listen, I don't normally train anybody-"

"That's okay. I entrust myself to you," he smiled.

The way he said that made a smirk appear on her already smiling face, but it was more sinister than happy. "Are you sure you want to do that?" She joked.

He nodded once and turned around to face the other mech. With a wave of his hand the mech left. "Let's go," he smiled.

"Fine, hop in." The boy climbed into the mech and smiled. _This is going to be a little awkward,_ she thought. She had to slide inbetween Warren's legs to drive. He was too large to fit behind the seat that she easily sat behind when she didn't want anyone to bother her. She took the controls and flew off toward the base she called her home/training facility/maintenance center. She had everything she needed, all supplied by Jack, of course. And was large enough to have over a hundred people live in it comfortably. Normally, it was just her and Damyen, but now they had a new addition, Warren.

Warren was fidgeting continuously behind Amadi. And she wasn't comfortable with it. "Would you please stop fidgeting," she said finally.

"I can't help it. I'm so excited." He still had his huge smile on his face.

"Well, you need to stop. It's really annoying me. We're almost there so cut it out." She looked sternly at the launching pad she was flying over.

"Man, your no fun anymore."

She cocked an eyebrow at him. "You're not here to have fun. You're here to learn, which reminds me. How are you doing with your schoolwork?"

He flinched.

Amadi felt it. "You idiot. If you can't get through school, how can you expect to fly a mech?!"

"Hey, school isn't exactly what I'm interested in. Flying one of these things, though..." he stopped and laughed ending with a cocky grin on his face.

"You won't be able to learn in one day, ya know."

"I know, but I'm so dedicated to it. I've been doing simulations and reading books-"

"I was beginning to wonder if you could read."

"Stop being so mean." He pouted.

"Stop being so girly," Amadi replied.

Warren turned red and shout, "Amadi!"

"What?" She remained calm and continued to concentrate on landing her mech properly.

They had finally arrived at the base. It was an old military base surrounded by trees and forest. There were however some plants in the small amount of yard they had. Warren was still red and pouting about Amadi being, as he put it 'mean'.

"I wonder if Damyen's back yet," Amadi muttered.

"Yeah. About this Damyen, will I like him."

Amadi chuckled a little. _I can't believe him. Jack! You never told him that Damyen was a girl did you? _She began to laugh out loud.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Amadi ignored him and just kept laughing.

"Amadi?! Amadi!"

Damyen opened her eyes to find herself back at the main base. Her mech had been shut down for quite awhile. She slowly stood up, opening the hatch, and jumping down like always. It was still amazing that she could land perfectly. The girl straightened herself out, her body feeling heavy like she did something that took all her strength.

There was a dream lingering in her mind, but it seemed impossible to be reality. After all, she didn't even own a needle. And if she scared Amadi away, she would be alone without any possible comrade. "Still, it is odd," the girl barely spoke. Her mech didn't look to be hurt or anything. "Might as well check in with her....she must be pissed that I am late." And Damyen walked in to the landing dock just in time to see Black and Red coming in for landing, carrying an extra passenger. Curious that Amadi would let someone else in her mech. She would be certain to ask about it. "Yo, Amadi!" Damyen blankly stated after switching on the headset.

Amadi spoke quietly into the headset, "Damyen? Are you here?" Amadi smacked herself on the head when she saw the Red and Black mech not too far away. She hopped out of her mech instantaneously followed by the pink haired boy. The boy, not used to jumping out of mechs fell directly on top of Amadi. Amadi glared at him and he instantly stood up and pulled her along with him. "Damyen, I'm gonna need some help with this oaf."

"Wah! Oaf?! Amadi!" Warren, who had just stopped pouting began all over again.

"He's fine. He's just a little-"

"You're Damyen! Thank god, if you were a guy-" He cut himself off and started laughing.

"He don't look okay to me. This pink-haired girl can't even get his genders right." It would have been impossible to pull off the "I am a boy" act if she didn't have on such baggy clothing. "Listen here, pinky. Don't ever, ever suggest that I am a girl!" She punched a wall to add emphasis on the words and proceeded to yank on his shirt collar. "You understand?" Damyen's face twisted into a smirk, evil enough to make Lucifer himself cower in the corner like a little lost puppy.

Warren blushed. "I am not a girl!"

Amadi saw were this was going and she needed a nap, so she went into the base and locked herself in her room.

"Amadi! Wait! Don't leave me with this...at least not alone." He froze as he felt a pair of eyes glare at the back of his head. He felt like someone was using his head as a target for a flamethrower.

"Hm...So the owner left the loyal pet alone, with me." Damyen pulled out a think manual large enough to cover every damn body of water that existed. "Guess we have to do a little test. I got an errand to run real quick, so read over this in the meantime, 'kay?" It dropped to the floor like stone, echoing loud enough for all the other people to glance in their general direction. "Get back to your own business before I kill ya'll in one kick!" She didn't have time to be suspicious, not that she rarely wasn't.

Damyen walked away, leaving the boy to fend for himself and the manual. She traced the pattern Amadi took to her room, but when she stood in front of the door, her body became still and frozen. Not able to think of anything better, the young pilot decided to take a seat to the side of the door. She hugged her knees and dropped her head. The dream played in her mind again, the fear and sadness, not to mention that needle. Had she really gone crazy? Even though the girl didn't think it was reality, she still had a pain of guilt inside telling her to face it head on. Talking about a dream as if it were reality would make her seem crazy. It didn't matter as the words "I'm sorry", slowly drifted out of her mouth.

"Why? What did you do this time?" Amadi had the door opened a little and her selective hearing was working to hear everything outside her room at full force. Now, however its attention was turned to her friend.

Warren kneeled onto the ground, because the book was really heavy and he didn't want to hold it. He lay down like a little girl with his feet in the air and hummed a tune of sorts. _Damn, I do act like a girl_, he thought. He let his legs fall gently to the floor. _I wonder if Amadi is okay. I hope that Damyen chick isn't bugging her...wait, what if that was her errand..._ He ran down the hall that Amadi and Damyen went through and shouted, "Don't worry Amadi, I'll come save you!" without realizing he said that out loud, he was suddenly the center of attention.

Amadi sneezed. _That was weird, _she thought. A cold shiver was sent down her spine. _I hope I didn't catch a cold._

Damyen looked up in surprise. It was too quiet for her to even hear, so how the hell could Amadi hear her? "Huh? W-what are you talking about?" Her voice sped up, clearly a sign of nervousness. "It just kinda slipped out. I mean, I'm not sure why I said it but-" and the voice of a familiar boy echoed down their way. "Maybe I should get going now, you know, other stuff to do and all."

The girl turned away, relieved, but her body language made it evident that she had something she wanted to say. If Warren was coming to destroy their temporary peace, then so be it, but she needed to go. Her hand waved in the air for a goodbye gesture and she continued running down the hall. It seemed like she was always running, except for in battle. The battleground was perhaps the only place where she stood her ground with everything she had.

Amadi sighed. She never just says everything. It makes things more difficult. Oh, well, we can talk later.

Pinky bounded into Amadi's room screaming her name.

"Shut up," she shouted. "Don't you have a book to read or something? You're giving me a headache."

"And here I came t save you," he pouted.

"Okay, a) that pouting makes you look like a girl and b) what can you save me from?"

"Damyen...I thought she would be bugging you, so-"

"Stop. Turn." As she said turn, he turned. "Go read your book." he left pouting, as usual, and went back to his book.

He resumed his position with his legs in the air and hummed again. He paused. "Damn it!" He screamed at himself.

Damyen returned to where she left the boy and his book. She watched him sit back down in a rather feminine manner. "You are a girl. Like I said, at least I know what gender I am. I am, at my very root, male." She smirked like a devil, taking a seat next to him. Her knees came up, while her hands rested in her lap. "Find anything useful so far?" She eyed the curious book; it was the book she had forgotten she owned. "Damage that thing and you are dead, just to warn you." The girl waited silently for his reply, but not caring whether he said anything or not. Her eyes moved around the room, constantly searching for a distraction to get her mind off the here and now. I am so stupid, she whispered in her mind, dragging out a little sigh.

"Want to talk about it?" He asked sweetly, not looking up from the book. "I admit, I am a little too close to my femme side, but sometimes it is a good thing." He paused to wait for a response. He repeated, "Do you want to talk about it?" He looked at her with sparkling eyes of purple. It was true, he looked like a girl through and through, especially with the pink hair.

She scowled at first, completely disgusted with the offer. "Talk about what, miss?" Damyen free fell onto the hard flooring, bouncing a little from the impact. "I'm not femme, thank god. Way too much to deal with if you ask me." She wanted to tell him to forget the book, but that would be unwise. Amadi would most likely kill her. She silently closed her eyes, rolling away from the boy and onto her side. "You know that book is full of shit. It don't tell you a damn thing about piloting. You realize that yet?" He wasn't just feminine, he was gullible too! Her voice expressed no emotion or feeling towards this lesson she gave him. She didn't care, as long as the book was returned to her in the condition it was given.

Warren sighed. "I don't care. Amadi promised that she would teach me and if that means that I have to put up with you then I'm fine with it." He hadn't realized what he was saying and when he did all he could think was 'oh crap, oh crap, oh crap, oh crap, oh crap'.

Amadi was lying in her bed tossing and turning. She couldn't get what Damyen had said out of her mind. She felt another shiver go down her spine and a little red flag was waving back and forth in her head. I just left Warren alone with a person who so as far as I know only doesn't hate me and that's a little bit ify right now too. She shot out of bed and ran down the hall into the room Warren and Damyen were in. She walked in quietly thinking that maybe they were actually going to get along.

"You don't have to." Damyen stood up in haste, while turning away. "You wouldn't be the first!" The girl strode past him, keeping her head up. She didn't want to listen to anything else. Hearing something other than herself would tick her off even more. "If Amadi promised to teach you, than go bug her, young student." She passed through the door, a turn down the hallway to her room. Before that, she glanced back in time to see Amadi.

Amadi noticed Damyen leaving. _Sorry Damyen_, she thought. She stomped into the maintenance room, which is actually more like the living room. "What did you do?!"

Damyen lay against the wall just around the corner. "He did everything!" She deepened her voice a bit more to try and mask her identity, and because she was not in the mood to use a happier tone of voice.

"I did not!" Warren protested. "I just said something stupid."

"Like always?" Damyen said.

"Yeah, wait...yeah.."

"At least you're honest." Damyen had to give him some points for that, but it wasn't enough to reverse her anger.

"Warren, think before you say things," Amadi said, filled with rage. "Got it?"

Warren looked up at her in silence.

"Warren!"

"What? I was thinking."

Amadi glared at him for a moment and walked off toward the launching area. Soon, mech start up noises could be heard and 'launching' was said on the loud speaker.

"Launching?" Damyen's head snapped toward the noises and came around to stare at Warren." You damn pinky! Could you be any more idiotic?" She placed her palm to her forehead, holding back the rage. "I'll be testing you tomorrow with questions from that manual so be sure to read it all tonight, girly." She headed over to her room and locked herself in. People were so literal sometimes. The girl sat on her bed while attempting to distract herself from punching and completely destroying her room.

"Well, now I'm depressed. I hope Amadi comes back soon. I don't want to be alone with Damyen for long." He sighed. "Better start reading." He flipped open to a random page and screamed at the top of his lungs for a full minute.

Damyen stopped breathing for a moment, proceeding with loud laughter. It was the scream of an innocent boy who had just witnessed something downright dirty. _Better start writing that quiz_, she thought. It would be a good lesson for him. Seeing as even Damyen learned a thing or two about piloting. The girl sat on her bed, scribbling do down questions, all the while grinning wider and wider, letting some chuckles escape.

"What is this?" He slammed the book shut. "Maybe it was just my imagination...I hope not." he reopened the book to an even worse page. He screamed longer and louder than the first time.

Damyen giggled. "He's really reading it...I guess I'll make more questions from that part as well." She didn't feel any pity toward him. Her trainer made her read it, hence Warren had to read it. "You are a good boy, Pinky," she said to herself. What would Amadi do if she saw this? Damyen would most likely be punished, and she didn't care. He was learning and that was something.

"Not reading this!" He screamed. He searched through the book, not reading, but looking.

She was curious as to why there hadn't been another scream. Damyen tiptoed out of her room and passed into them maintenance room to see Warren flipping through the pages. She had never seen anyone become interested so fast. Sneaking in from behind was simple. He wasn't paying any attention to anything around him. "Oh, I definitely recommend studying this in detail," the girl pointed to a very descriptive picture. "I comes in handy," and she trailed back into her room like a ghost.

Warren blushed, but chose to completely ignore Damyen. "I just want to know what the title is..." He found the title page. He read aloud, "A Girl's (and Fanboy's) Guide to YAOI!"

Damyen heard 'yaoi' echo off the walls. Oh yes. He was a good studious boy. The quiz was done and the trainee was training. She quietly listened to random music, waiting for Amadi's return


	3. Chapter 3

Here comes chapter 3. No disclaimer because this is an original story, although if it wasn't for shows with giant mechs...no we might have thought about that...oh well. Enjoy the chapter! R&R.

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Warren studied the book thoroughly for a week. Damyen originally wanted to give him the quiz the next day, but seeing as how he was so into it, she decided to give him a week. It was a huge book! He gave the quiz to Damyen when he finished. Oh yeah, and Amadi hadn't come back yet.

Damyen released a heavy sigh. Her eyes reluctantly fixed onto the assignment she held in her hands. A week and she was left teaching this brat by herself. Amadi hadn't even communicated with her. Still, the tired trainer whipped out a pen, grading the paper in 30 seconds flat. Now she had to create another lesson for the pink-haired idiot. "I knew I should've organized properly," whispered from her lips. Even if Amadi was to say something excusable for her absence, Damyen would blame herself, because that was who she was. She always had a guilt-based personality. She was the cause of all things bad and worrisome surrounding her. Amadi's disappearance must have been because of that lame ass apology.

"You learn fast. Don't brag too much over a 97%, alright?" Her hands let go of the quiz and watched it slowly float down to the ground in front of the boy. "I'll be honest; the next assignment is just busy work. You study the part I pointed out at the beginning of the week until you can score 100%. I'm gonna fly around a bit. Stay out of trouble now. You don't even want to know the consequences." Damyen slipped her hands into the pockets of her ripped, torn charcoal jeans and slowly headed for the launching dock.

Amadi had just touched down and was climbing out of her mech. "Ohayou! Dai-chan! I'm back!" She ran over to her. "I kinda got lost, but I'm back now!"

The girl eyed Amadi intensely... She ignored the twitch. "G-got lost?" Damyen wanted to yell. "Tell me about it later." She briskly made her way to her mech and jumped in. "Please don't make excuses." She sighed.

Amadi looked puzzled. "Where are **you** going?!"

"I don't know." Irritation clenched her teeth. Keep an eye on her," she pointed to Warren. "She needs to study what she missed." Damyen took off the wireless phone. "Don't bother communicating either." The girl adjusted the seat of her mech before closing the hatch. She switched off the video to one way, video transmission could be received, but she couldn't make outgoing transmissions. Red and Black commenced launching.

Amadi had a serious look on her face. "I need to learn how to read maps," she muttered. She stood still, almost frozen in time.

(Halen wakes. She raises her head. "Oh. Map? Huh..." She sets the map on fire accidently. "Oops." She lay back down. "Nap time.")

Black and red made some rumbling sounds.

"Don't worry. Dai-chan will be back soon." She gave a reassuring tap on the metal ankle. A quiet metallic thump shot through the air. The mech rumbled again. Amadi scowled. "What do you mean you need more oil?! I just gave you oil!"

Black and Red's colors faded to a dull gray and a lighter, almost pink, red.

"Don't you throw a fit with me, mister."

The mech fell backwards onto the ground.

"Ahhh! Fine, I'll give you new oil." She scanned the robot and met its eyes. They were glimmering mischievously. It rumbled once more, the deep black and blood red color returning. Amadi sighed. "And special maintenance."

Black and Red sprang up with a clang.

Warren stared wordlessly with his mouth gaping. He shook his head quickly from side to side and ran towards Amadi...with his test in hand. "I didn't know you could talk to mechs," he said excitedly. He brought his hands up in front of him in a fangirlish way. He truly was a girl.

"I can't talk with mechs. I can talk with my mech though. We've been through a lot and can easily understand each other." She was just speaking matter-of-factly with no bragging in her tone, like idiots do.

Warren's eyes were sparkling. "That is so awesome!" He sounded like he was singing.

"What's that sheet of paper?"

Warren blushed, the sparkle flicking out of his eyes instantly. He put it behind his back and shrugged slightly. "J-just some test Damyen gave me."

"Oh, yeah. Let me see."

"No," he snapped. "I mean, it's just a stupid test. You shouldn't care about something as-"

Amadi quickly grabbed the test before he had the chance to hold it out of her reach. She was a foot shorter so all he had to do was lift his arm straight up and she wouldn't have gotten it. She looked over the test and blushed slightly. "Wh-why did Damyen give you this test?" She looked at the score. "Not that bad of a score, though. 97, huh?"

"Don't think that I'm gay or anything...I mean I'm not gay. My hair may be pink and I may act like a girl and I may get an A on a yaoi test, but...Damn." His head hung down. "I am-"

"You're not gay." Amadi said plainly. She wasn't sure if he was really gay or not, but she didn't want to deal with that issue right away. "Hang out with Black and Red for a minute. I'll be right back."

Warren nodded and sat on the mech's foot.

Amadi walked quickly to her room. She set the test on her desk and changed. She put on a white T-shirt that went down to her belly button and faded blue overalls. She slid a tight blue jean jacket on over her shirt and let it hang open in the front. She pulled up her long purple hair into a pony tail. Her normally chocolate eyes where a much lighter brown with all the light hitting them. She walked back to the maintenance room and stood in front of the resting Warren. He fell asleep on the foot that said 'fuck the world' on the bottom. She stooped over him. "Too bad you're asleep. I look pretty hot in these clothes." Warren didn't move. She stepped closer to him. "That used to-" Warren pulled Amadi on top of him. Her forehead resting under his chin. She was blushing. She wasn't used to this. She tried to push herself away, but that only resulted in her being hugged tighter by the big oaf. She mumbled something into his chest and he mumbled, "Hm?"

She turned her head to the side. "Warren, I need to do maintenance on Black and Red."

"What'll happen if you don't do it right away," he mumbled back.

"Nothing, but eventually Black and Red would throw another fit."

"You spoil him too much. What about me?"

"What about you?"

"First, I don't see you for years, then I spend an hour or two with you and then you disappear for a week."

"I got lost. I only meant to go out for an hour or so."

"Sleep with me." He hugged Amadi closer.

"W-what?!" Amadi turned redder.

"Take a nap with me. You need the rest."

"Are you ever gonna let me go?"

"Not until you take a nap with me."

"Then that leaves me two options, kick your ass or-" Amadi yawned.

"That means you should take a nap with me."

"Mmmm. Only a quick nap," she said as she closed her eyes. As soon as her eyes closed she was out like a light.

"You haven't changed too much," he laughed. "You still go days without sleep."

After Warren said that, the only noise that was heard for hours was the light breathing of the two as they slept.

Damyen roughly landed in a secluded area consisting of nothing but bare land and a few corner stations here and there. The plane rumbled beneath them from the aftershock of the landing. The young pilot, serious in all honesty, jumped down carelessly, staking a perfect footing upon hitting the ground. It had been ages since she had even thought of this desert town in earnest. Even if it was pristine blue above, she knew it was constantly raining down on this abandoned village.

Nothing was left, of course. Her teal eyes could see what previously existed. The girl's feet walked on air, smoothly, graciously pushing her towards the one area she knew extremely well. The makeshift house they had used to sit there. Her body remembered too much, as did her mind. The visions so detailed it scared her flashed forward one after another.

A girl of about four happily held the wooden branch across a group of boys at least twice her age and older. Training fueled her, giving her the chance to win every time. "Haruki," a man spoke in warning.

"Huh?" Her head turned. "Akiko-sensei!" She wanted to fight until the end, though the boys were lying on the ground bruised and broken, struggling to fight heroically.

"Call it," he firmly commanded. She didn't have a choice.

"Fine," she sighed in defeat. "Haruki Damyen, crowned gold winner of the battle. Grow up boys, or I'll stay prince of this palace forever." The groaned in pain, and disbelief. She pulled back what she could of her fiery orange hair, hopping over to Akiko. He stood many feet taller than she, loosely tying back his long, midnight blue hair. He crossed his arms, looking down at her with seemingly emotionless deep silver eyes.

"You improve every day. I'm proud." He kneeled on the ledge of the stair.

"Heh, I do my best sir!" She liked compliments, partly because they were truth.

"Say, I've got a proposition for you."

"Huh?" She cocked her head to the side.

"If you put hand to hand combat aside, I'll teach ya piloting." Her eyes lit up, thinking back at how cool her sensei looked while flying one of those big metal machines. "Sound good?"

"Yeah!" One of the other girls, Rynz Aeros, glared in her general direction. Looks like she would be in for a new crowd of rivals with the piloting gig. She learned basics and then specialties, slowly working her way into advanced. Before anyone knew it, Damyen Haruki had become an expert, learning all there was to know and more. During that time, Ren Akiko also gave her a quiz over a book she disregarded as anything worth knowing for piloting a mech.

Two years. She had a father figure for six years. The explosions happened and she just missed it all. Her skills had become worthless and a nuisance. Akiko, Rynz, the mech, they were all in a dangerous situation and she was rendered powerless. Knives, guns, heavily armored weapons resembling that of mechs unleashed continuous attacks. In that time, a young child couldn't survive without becoming a soldier, essentially 'a victim of war' so to speak.

"Akiko..." Everything jammed her mind in one swoop. The first being, why did she come here? Damyen wandered into one of the small markets still managing to survive. There was nothing. She picked up a few drugs she thought she would need.

"Is that all?" She nodded, pulling out some cash in one's. "Have a good day." Her fingers curled around the bag's handles. God, what mess would this cause?

"Hey, you from here?" A pretty boy stood a mile from her mech.

"No, now get away." damn, she was starting to see the stains.

"I'm just curious. You seem to know the place, that's all."

"I've been to similar towns." The girl jumped up, acrobating up into the cockpit.

"Got a name?" She thought, but drew a blank.

"Not anymore." Red and Black quickly took off back to base. It wouldn't be the first time she would return to that barren waste land. Naturally, there were missing pieces in her memories, doubting what she knew as reality.

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I think I'll end the chapter there. Hopefully, I'll have the next chapter up soon though. Cross your fingers. Although if you review, I might just update faster. You don't have to log in. Just leave a review. Bye Bye Peoples!


	4. Chapter 4

Welcome back to Our Internationally too long for my lazy ass to type title. Yeah, I'm never typing that title up again. Much too long for me. The initials are even long. OTIFUAFFMCSRPMT. They don't even spell anything. Oh, well. Enjoy!

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Chapter 4

After much trouble, they landed back at the dock. The base seemed quitter than usual. She softly walked into the entrance for maintenance. The sight ruined her. The boy they had just met was cuddling with her comrade. Damyen didn't remember accepting him that quickly. This was the first time she had seen Amadi sleeping soundly. Perhaps he was needed more than she was.

Her eyes carried a shine, tears running slowly down her cheeks. Her hand softly reached out to the two, but soon fell. "I'm sorry," she barely hushed under her breath before heading to her room. The door was securely locked and her land switched on.

Without thinking, she popped a couple of sleeping pills and a couple pain killers into her mouth. This headache was getting out of control. The bed felt rock hard, so she threw a blanket onto the floor. Half of the time she sat up against her bed, drifting off with an empty mind. No, it wasn't empty. Thinking back was just too nerve wracking. "Fuck," she cried as the tears endlessly fell. It seemed not even the pills put her at ease.

Damyen unlocked the door, knowing she would be up until at least four in the morning. Warren would have to be thanked some other time. He actually got Amadi to sleep, and for that, he deserved a thank you, like she finally gave Amadi an apology for everything, including things she didn't know or things that weren't even her fault. Damyen had now apologized ahead of time for any events soon to occur.

The ticking clock made her sleepier. Her headache was gone, her vision blurry. She fell down onto the blanket into a deep, dreamless sleep. Oddly, the empty black comforted her.

Black and Red rumbled loudly and the noises it made carried throughout the base. The pair of nappers didn't even flinch. Black and Red was furious. It's been waiting for its maintenance for hours. It wants maintenance now! It lifted the foot that Amadi and Warren slept on and started shifting it from side to side in an attempt to shake them ff. At first it didn't work, but the shaking continued and the two slowly slide off.

Amadi's eyes snapped open. She pushed away from Warren and landed with a sleight stumble. Amadi yawned loudly and stretched her arms.

Warren landed flat on his back. He groaned for a few seconds and said," What time is who happened?" He was slurring his words a little and having trouble standing up straight.

Amadi looked at Black and Red and watched it lay the metal foot on the ground. "Black and Red threw a tantrum," she stated blankly. She turned and scowled at Warren. "Just like I told you it would." She barely ever slept so she felt good, but she wasn't in a good mood. She looked around to see if anything happened when she was asleep and something caught her eye. Red and Black! Amadi now knew why she was in a bad mood. Damyen probably saw them and that made Amadi feel guilty. "Get out."

"You're going to do maintenance, right?" He waited for Amadi to answer. She gave him no sign that she even heard him. "Can I watch?"

"I said out!" She growled.

He flinched backwards, taken aback. He slowly wandered out of the room. When he was out of the room Amadi grabbed her tool belt and got to work.

Warren wandered around the halls. He walked into an empty bedroom and sat at the desk in the back. There were pink and light gray blankets on the bed. He assumed that this was his room since it was the only room with bed sheets, other than Amadi and Damyen's. He stood and walked up to his bed. He plopped down face first onto it and mumbled, "What's she so mad about?"

Damyen suddenly awoke, hearing a familiar echo ring throughout her room. Twitching off the bed sheet wrapped around her lowly figure. It felt like she had a nightmare and realizing she had woken up with a cold sweat. The girl, unstable and hazy, stood up, stumbling out of her room, and following the sound led her to the maintenance room. "A-Amadi?" Her eyes were still red from crying.

Amadi couldn't hear her friend over all the noise she was making. Aside from her grumbling, which she always did when doing maintenance, clanks from her carelessness resounded and echoed.

It couldn't be helped. Damyen scuffed across the room to lazily lean against Black and Red. "I saw you've made intimate progress with your new student!" The girl firmly screamed, hiding every pebble of emotion she had. "A little desperate, don't ya think?" God, she didn't want to say this, but as always, jealousy started rearing its ugly head earlier than usual. The image of those two filled her thoughts once again. How did Warren get so close to _her_ comrade? Her words still bounced along the walls and ceiling.

Black and Red made a sleight noise. Amadi stopped moving and listened to the echoing words of her friend. The only echo that she could make out was think. "What about thinking," Amadi said. She set her tools down and peeked out and searched for Damyen. Damyen was leaning against Black and Red's leg, but she didn't care. Damyen wouldn't do anything to her mech and she trusted her. Amadi had black splotches in random places all over her upper body, mostly on her face. She always looked like that during maintenance.

Damyen pulled out a sharpie, accidentally grabbing a key with it. "Warren. I can't believe you'd go that far with him. Do you trust him so easily because he resembles someone else, or is trusting me just not enough? Seeing you sleep so soundlessly on him...and in the fucking maintenance at that!" She completely forgotten how to form full, coherent sentences. And it wasn't either. No, the girl knew she couldn't be depended upon. Her best friend never came to her about not sleeping. She couldn't exactly make miracles, but trying to cure the illness at least had worth, if ever given the chance. Sometimes trying just wasn't enough.

She roughly bit the cap off the marker, spitting onto the floor. In a few speedy movements, the words "DAMYEN WAS HERE", had been written in big and bold on Black and Red's leg. The key made the underline beneath "WAS". "I think that should help the upcoming decision." Akiko would have slapped her for such stupidity and carelessness. "And next time, don't involve me in petty situations like training a child for piloting. All the training in the world couldn't prepare that pink headed fool for shit. The battle field, now that's where it's at. See if he can really handle death and the act of killing...watch his gut twist and turn at the sight and smell of bloodshed. Deal with reality, or cut his training."

And as calmly as she had come in, she had walked out. Dreams raced through her without mercy. It was going to happen sooner or later...and it happened to be sooner. Returning to her room, the girl grabbed some clean, wrinkled clothes and proceeded to hop into the hot shower. Her fist nearly punched a hole in the wall. The steaming rain burned the skin, opening old scars, reclaiming closed wounds. This boiling water would never hold a candle to the fire of hell, killing dozens, literally scaring her for life. Damyen brought her arms together to cover the painful scar faithfully painted on her stomach. She sat down on the bath tub stool, laying her head against the wall surface.

_Why Akiko? Why have I forgotten so much?_ Her mind went blank as a brand new white board, bleached and re-bleached. "What's missing?" The girl thought she had fallen prey to sleep, however, her consciousness slipped away on a fine silk ribbon tying her to reality. She now sat limp, lifeless and passed out, but she wouldn't die, even if no one worried enough to find her. The last thing she saw was the image of the child she had unfortunately met in her hometown desert.

Amadi wasn't angry with Damyen. She probably deserved it. The marker would come off eventually and she knew how to fix the scratch. If it was anybody except Damyen then they would be dead be dead before they even got close to Black and Red. Amadi knew that Damyen was hurt. Seeing her with Jack sleeping peaceful must have hurt her. _Wait,_ she thought. _Jack isn't the one that is here. It was his brother, Warren. Fuck!_ She screamed at herself, in her head of course. After a few second of stumbling around the tools in her mech she jumped out, running after her friend. "Damyen!" She shouted. She stopped when she was in front of her door. She was panting heavily. She heard the shower running. Amadi never walked into Damyen's room without permission. "Damyen! Can I come in? Damyen! Damyen!" _This is wrong,_ she thought. _No matter how made she always answered me, even if it was just a 'go away'._ "I'm coming in Damyen!" She twisted the doorknob. Her heart began pounding. The door was blown open and Amadi froze. Damyen was unconscious in scalding hot water. "You idiot," she screamed. She rushed into the spray without thinking. Sure, she got burned, but Damyen was in worse condition.

Amadi placed her friends arm over her shoulder and carried her out. "You're pretty light." She placed her friend on her bad and covered her with a blanket. "Don't worry, Amadi is here for you," she whispered. She pulled up a chair and slumped back in it. At first she stared at the ceiling, just thinking. She didn't like it when things were quiet and she was thinking. Amadi never got distracted from thinking, except in battle. She was a good strategist and she had a knack for math, but in war, there are too many variable. You mostly have to work with your instinct for that kind of thing.

Amadi's head snapped forward. "Shower!" She ran into the shower and turned it off. She had successfully been drenched. She sat back in her seat. This time she crossed her arms and she leaned against the bed. _Don't...fall...asleep,_ she thought. It was too late. Her head gently rested in her arms.

Loose strands of orange whipped around in the wind. She was told to skip training. Akiko worried about lightning messing up the systems. Naturally, as children often did, the girl climbed into the cockpit. Soaked through the skin, illuminated by the sudden strikes of lightning. It didn't even have to be on for her heart to pound. Mechs were just so cool, no matter what. She didn't mean to press the "haywire' button. Everything turned crazy and her teacher quickly ran off with her and the other children. Perhaps it was the storm. Surely it wasn't her fault.

The image blanked into nothing, pure nothing. The space couldn't even be called white! Damyen shivered, breaking into a furious cold sweat brought on by fear and loneliness. Her back hurt like hell, but she chose to ignore it.

Her eyes, nearly tinted green upon awakening, shocked open with a twitch. Time passed slowly as she tried to adjust to the surroundings. The familiar blurs gave an outline of the room. She was on her bed. Her back still hurt like hell. "Tch...ow?" Sitting up, she quickly bunched the blanket under her arms to cover the naked skin. Her breathing was beginning to even. She sensed someone else.

The girl zeroed in on the one person she could never hate. _Even after being a bitch, she still cares..._Her shaking fingers hung above burn marks. _Was it another fire?_ Damyen's memory of what had previously gone in the shower, had been lost. She had no recollection of sitting in boiling hot rain. "Moko-chan," her small voice whispered. Another apology slipped under her tongue.

Amadi was panting wildly. A cold sweat had broken out all over her body. She was whimpering like a scared puppy. This is how she usually slept. Sometimes it would be worse, but she never felt rested afterward. That is why she preferred not to sleep. It opened the door to many a nightmarish hells. Each one just as horrible as another, or worse.

_Uh-oh_, the girl nervously thought. She could fetch Warren, but that would be crazy. Damyen slowly snuck off the bed and quickly locked the door. Carefully, she pulled on a loose spaghetti strap tank just barely reaching her belly, along with comfortable short-shorts. The less skin covered, the less pain she felt.

The red head grabbed one warm towel and one cold towel. This crazy girl had no idea what she was doing, but still, she placed the cold towel on the back of Amadi's neck and the warm towel on her forehead. She was hurting and that was enough to make Damyen tear up. "I'm here!" Amadi's head now rested on her lap. "Oh Moko-chan sweetie...What are you dreaming?" Her voice was kind and gentle as her hand softly ran through her partner's hair. "Dai-chan's here." Rarely did she act like this. Only for Amadi could she act sisterly. "It's okay..."

"Dai-chan," Amadi mumbled quietly.

Damyen kept herself from jumping. "Hem. Moko-chan?" The girl quietly whispered. Is...is she awake? It was hard to tell. She took the wet cloth and smoothly wiped down Amadi's face.

"It hurts," she replied.

"Oh god...what the hell was happening? "It's okay, Moko-chan. it'll be okay." Her hand rested on her friend's cheek, as she gazed caringly down to make sure the girl wasn't dying.

"The pain doesn't stop."

"It will. Just tell me where the pain is."

"I don't know. hurts..."

Damyen couldn't even guess what was happening. She dipped the cloth in cold water, running it carefully down the girl's face, neck and whatever other skin wasn't covered. "I promise it'll be okay. The pain will soon be over." All she could do was care and assure at this point. During her life, nothing like this had happened, unless you count a mother or older sister some experience. She hated to say it, but she did, and half-heartedly, jokingly so. "Maybe Warren could help...I think I'm gonna go get him." They were obviously close, so why wouldn't it help? Damyen oh so gently lulled the girl on the bed, grabbing her hand soon after. "Dai-chan will be right back." She waited for any sign whether it was an agreement to fetch the pink-haired bastard, or to stay...Either way, Damyen would be in pain until Amadi wasn't hurting anymore. Her other hand came up to softly run through the soft, purple hair next to her.

Amadi's breathing began to slow down. The sweat faded and the girl purred slightly. No, it wasn't a purr. It was more like a hum.

Maybe she didn't have to leave. "I can handle this," the girl whispered. Damyen continued petting Amadi, a gentle smile appearing on her face. "Moko-chan's so cute," she softly laughed. Damyen began quietly humming 'moon on the water', a song she absolutely favored in any situation.

Amadi's hum slowly worked its way in with Damyen's 'moon on the water'. They were soon humming in sync. She broke the tune when she whispered, "Dai-chan? Will you stay with me forever?" She wasn't completely awake, but she sort of knew what she was saying. She didn't want her best friend to leave her side, ever.

Damyen froze, shocked and wide-eyed. When was the last time she heard those words? Perhaps she never had. The girl had paused the sweet singing, trying to explain what she was feeling. Forever was a silly word and yet she was relieved to hear something so false. Amadi seemed just like a little kid. "Yes. If you want me to," she softly spoke, one side of her, untucking itself. This was somehow familiar, but Damyen didn't care.

"If I didn't want you to, I wouldn't have asked," she said, a little annoyed. She opened her eyes and sat up. A serious look made its way to her face. "What about Warren? Will you still help me teach him?" She knew the questions might tear at her friend, but she needed to know if this was going to work out...or not.

Warren. His name flipped in her mind. That pink-haired kid didn't deserve her training, but Amadi wanted her to help. "If you would like me to, I will." It would take awhile to get what little trust she put in him back, however, she would have a reason to be harsh to him as well.

Amadi opened her mouth to say thank you, but the alarm siren for the building went off. Was someone attacking them? She quickly jumped off Damyen's bed and the alarm shut off. "That was weird."

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Kirity: That is the end of that chapter. Isn't it great that the girls worked out the problems. That will not be the end of their troubles though. Oh no. Their troubles have only just begun! Mwahahahahaha! Sorry. I should work on my evil laugh. Until next time! Bye Bye Peoples!

Inner Voice: Aren't you forgetting something?

Kirity: What?

Inner Voice: *sigh* Please review.

Kirity: Yeah. What she said!


	5. Chapter 5

Now you get to see what tripped off the alarm. Have fun and review when you're done.

Chapter 5

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The sudden movement was startling, though the red head didn't move. She adjusted to sitting on her knees, hands on her lap. She couldn't help but blush a little. "O-oh, you're awake?" She stared down at her hands , not worried about the siren going off.

Amadi rubbed her eyes and stretched with a yawn. "Hearing the alarm always jolts me awake," she said plainly.

"I-I see. Um, I shall take my leave now." Damyen whispered heading for the door, completely forgetting it was her room.

"Damyen, this is your room. I'll leave. I want to see what triggered the alarm." She walked out of the room slowly.

"W-wait, I'll come with you." The girl carefully threw on a Jacket to cover the more visible scars on her back and back of her legs. She nearly stumbled following behind Amadi. "Moko-chan, do you think it was something bad?" Her green eyes were full of wary, and fear. With something like this, her familiar instincts hid away, and the scared childish instincts took over.

"It was probably a monkey," a boy said. He looked exactly like Warren, but he had blue hair.

"You have Warren's face!" This was bad...She couldn't handle another Warren. What would the damage be this time? Damyen froze, not wanting to move closer. God...when was she going to know anyone around here?!

"Jack," Amadi screamed gleefully. She nearly tackled him when she gave him a hug. "It's been such a long time since I saw you in person." Amadi stopped. She was so excited about Jack showing up that she had momentarily forgotten Damyen. "Anyway, why are you here?"

"I came to check on my brother. I want to know what he's learned."

"Yeah...um...a-about that," she laughed nervously.

"Warren #2, I gave Warren #1 one test so far. here's a copy of it." Damyen unfolded a piece of paper, handing it to the man Amadi called Jack. She carefully smiled, awaiting a shocked reaction. "That stupid boy missed a vital 3%."

"It's Jack," he said calmly, even though it came off a little rude. "Amadi, why has he only taken one te-" He cut himself off. Staring at the test with his jaw hanging open a little. His eyes were darting over the page. "What exactly is this," he asked. A little darkness in his tone.

"That's a test that we-I gave him," Amadi blushed. She didn't want Damyen to get yelled at and if it was her, he might forgive it.

"Well, I trust you Amadi. What exactly does this test help improve?" He held the test in his hand behind his back. Jack stared straight into her eyes. His own cold, ice blue eyes boring into Amadi's chocolate brown ones.

She stared back unafraid. "It keeps him from getting distracted by...strange things. His focus has most likely improved since before the test," she lied. It was a solid lie. She did give a he was better statement and it was logically correct.

"Very well than," he said. "You'll be happy to hear that I will be staying here for awhile." Upon hearing this Amadi was happy and sad at the same time. She knew this would annoy her comrade. "I'll be overseeing my brother's training as well as assigning you missions."

Damyen glared a little, hesitant to completely dislike her friend. Amadi was sticking up for her, which many others didn't care to do. "Just don't get all attached and touchy feely-like. Warren did that and I have yet to see that pink hair of his. Touch her and your dead, got it?" She lightly folded her hands on her hips. "Just a warning." Her deviousness was quite worrisome. "And since when do we need a manager type punk? We assign our own missions, not some stupid useless look-a-like, Mr. Warren #2. Train your own brother first, now that you're staying here and all...I suppose pinky ain't my problem, eh, Mr. Iceman?" She coldly stared into his ice blue eyes, serious and uncaring. Years of meet-and-greet training and this was all she had to show for it? It was too harsh even for Damyen.

"First of all," Jack started, staring back. "My name is not Warren #2, it is Jack and if you insist on calling me Warren, call me Warren #1. Anyway, I am a very busy person and don't have any experience piloting. That is where Amadi specializes." He turned away and faced Amadi who had a frown on her face. Her arms were folded across her chest. "I apologize for being so rude, but enough of this." He smiled brightly. Jack wrapped his arms around Amadi and laced his fingers over her lower back. "Would you mind showing me to my room? Or maybe...I will just sleep with you." He pulled her in tighter so that she couldn't move and turned his head to see Damyen. He gave her a devious smirk and mouthed 'she's mine'. _This is all I have to say to your little warning, _he thought.

Damyen absently let out a deep, thundering growl. She knew she was no competition against him, but what he was doing was uncalled for. "Sorry, I met you second, Jackass. And to slap your ugly little head into reality, people are not simple things to own. Amadi, you might be confused by what I'm talking about, but explanation can wait." She strode closer to the two. "If you ever say or do anything that makes Amadi be referred to as an object again, I will ban you from this facility, and I will kill you." She wasn't as angelic and innocent as some thought. Her fist connected with Jack's face happily. "I wouldn't mind blood on my hands again." Damyen turned the other way, content with her actions and a little regretful knowing she could kill him right there with her bare hands. "Warren!" She called walking down the hallway. "Get your pretty twin ass out here or your training is canceled!" There was only one way to help Warren up Jack, and that was to make him a pilot, perhaps one better than Amadi. "Have fun, Moko-chan," Damyen depressingly spoke. It would be the last time she would call Amadi by that cute nickname.

"Wait! Dai-chan! Jack you jerk. Let go of me!" She was struggling to get out of his grasp. He only gripped her tighter. _Mine, _he thought. _You won't take her away Damyen._ "Jack," Amadi whimpered.

"Leave her," Jack said coldly. A bruise was already appearing on his cheek. He released her body and began to walk away. "This is going to be an interesting stay," he muttered.

"Hunh?"

"Nothing! Can you show me your room, Amadi?" A small smile creeping across his face.

"No," Amadi growled. She was obviously angry with the way he was acting. "I can show you to the door, though."

"Learned yet, Jackass?" Damyen lazily slumped against the wall by 'Red and Black'. Her head fell in its direction. These stupid individuals were making her desperately ill. Not even being near the faithful, cold metal partner could change her seriously irritated mood. She decided it was better not to focus on anything, barely able to pick up on movement.

A young boy and girl flew right past her, creating a little breeze for her red hair to move in, random strands falling over her wearied expression. The boy froze, doing an instant double take, silently motioning for his sister to retrace back a few strides. The two peeked around the corner as if to mentally match person to picture.

"It is you!" The boy excitedly ran over to Damyen, recklessly flailing his arms up and down. She glanced in his direction, recognizing the voice. "Sis, I told you!"

"So? I'm not interested really."

"Excuse me," Damyen took her last look at Amadi, then heading down the hall and outside onto the roof, the one she hardly ever used.

"Did something happen? Are you going to town again?" Oh, that's where she didn't remember him from, nor cared to remember him from.

"My name's River Addings, and this is my sister, Jadeline." She had finally stepped outside. The surprisingly cool breeze was refreshing.

"Great, like I care," her annoyed, dark green eyes rolled. "I am hungry. Make me a sandwich, will ya Deli?" They twisted in confusion. "Isn't that an appropriate nickname for Jadeline? It is in the middle after all."

"Thanks, I'll remember that." And she threw a squished sandwich at Damyen. She caught it only to through it back.

"I prefer fresh Deli sandwiches." Sarcastically smiling at the boy, the red head entered the building, following the path down to the main floor, seeing if Jack had left or if Warren had come out yet.

"That Black and Red mech is pretty cool. Can I touch?" River's slightly tinted blue eyes brightened with excitement. As much as she wanted to say yes, she couldn't. After all, Amadi pushed iceman Jackass away in front of her without hesitation. And she had stayed by Damyen's side while she slept naked, though the memories of a fiery shower slowly returned to her.

"Don't touch anything. Why and how are you here anyway?"

"For you. You said you didn't have a name anymore so I want to help you make another one!" His kindness was sweet, but strange.

"O~kay, but how?" Surely his sister wasn't old enough, not even for that ragged hometown. People like them never took a chance at driving here on country roads.

"Easy. I followed your scent!" Her eyes widened as Jadeline awkwardly smiled. "I lost the track quite a few times but quickly recovered it. And this is where it led me." Did she have a scent? Well, everything had a scent, even unscented shampoo and body wash smelled like something. Then did she smell good or bad? They didn't look horribly disgusted so it probably meant it was good. Still, this kid got worse by the word.

"Alright, a little weird for me, but that guy with the blue hair all the way down there," she whispered pointing in the direction Jack walked away previously. "He just loves kids like you. Actually, annoying kids are his forte. Go annoy him."

"Okay," River happily agreed. He seemed young to be saying jackass, so she would settle for iceman.

"Bang really hard if he's in his room and just scream 'Iceman' if he doesn't answer."

Gotcha!" He yelled as he ran in the direction she told him.

"How cruel?" Jadeline crossed her arms under her chest, surprisingly satisfied with the smart tactic.

"I don't give a crap." She could only think 'he had it coming'. Damyen once again let her gaze slip over to Amadi for a long moment, then over to Jadeline. They knew where her room was. "Nice meeting you Deli."

"Uh, River really does want to help. That is why we traveled so far by foot."

"Not my problem." She walked away disappearing down the hallway of her room. Jadeline pulled away her blonde bangs, straightening her long blonde hair before adjusting her red cap that spelled 'MECH' in fancy black letters. She stood closer to Amadi, glancing over in curiosity. She couldn't help wanting to meddle.

"Do you offer training programs at all?" She calmly asked Amadi, twitching at the echo of her brother banging and screaming iceman high pitched and happily.

"Not really, but we are training this one guy," she replied. She was a little confused. "How did you two even get in here?"

"My brother. He, uh…smelled his way in here…Which means he could avoid every alarm. I don't normally enjoy lock picking, but it was necessary to make him happy." She glanced in his direction.

"Iceman! I want to play!" could be faintly heard from their position.

"You should ask Damyen. I don't want to piss her off, but you can," she said with a smile.

"I think it would be better to wait. People like that in that mood are easily ticked and irritated, and she would rip off my head, not without a fight of course."

Down the hallway, River began to scream louder, banging harder. "This girl told me liked kids and I'm bored." He was beginning to wonder if 'iceman' really existed or not, even after seeing him with his own eyes.

'Iceman' opened the door and glared down at the boy. "Go away you little brat!" He slammed the door closed and went to sleep.

The next day…

I think we should train her Damyen. It'll be fun to see Warren's face when he is bested by a girl," Amadi laughed.

Damyen had almost finished maintenance on Red and Black. It was a good thing she started early. Grease and oil painted her cheeks and clothing, like it was a new fashion. "You've gotta be kidding. We can't take on another trainee. We can barely manage on between the two of us. Maybe Jackass can train her and her bratty brother." Her eyes flickered anger for a split second. Well, she refused to train Jadeline and River. There was no way in hell she would be taking on that stress.

"Please Dai-chan," she said as cutely as possible. "Pretty please." Amadi gave her puppy dog eyes.

Damyen stared hard at Amadi. "How about you train her? I mean, you piled your pink haired problem on me. I think it is only fair that I shove my Deli problem onto you." She collected the mess of tools into a bigger mess of a pile of tools. This was not going to happen, at least not by her. "Amadi," she said holding a black tool box now holding the previous mess of metal and various maintenance accessories. "It hasn't even been a month since Warren and he's only taken one test, just on some basics of the basics! Do you really think it'll be any different with her?"

Damyen threw off her long vest into the bucket of laundry. "I highly doubt it."

Amadi made a face, "But girls learn faster than boys and I think it is all around better to have multiple students to help clarify when explaining something."

Her hands now rested on her hips so she could take a breather. "Like hell I'm gonna go along with that reasoning. Besides, we don't want any chemistry starting between the two of them."

Amadi began to pout, something she never did. Then she had an idea. "Oh yea. I guess you're right," she said innocently. "I wouldn't want some other girl getting in between me and my Warren." At first she thought this might be too cruel, but she decided to do it regardless.

"Really, I could care less. I have an idea. Why don't you take over training Warren, and if you have time, train Deli." Damyen walked closer to Amadi. "Either way, I don't want anything to do with those kids, alright?" Every emotion flickered in eyes at once. They had come from her home town, something she never wanted to deal with again. She promised never to become involved with that town, and its people. "I wish you the best of luck," Damyen drawled sarcastically, taking a step out of the maintenance room and a step into the cool air outside.

"Damn…I thought that would work," Amadi muttered. Black and Red rumbled. "Don't talk to me like that! I already did your maintenance. Behave because I have to get some work done."

Amadi walked out of the maintenance room and into the hall. She wanted to check up on Jack, to make sure he hadn't killed the little boy named River. She tapped the door politely and called his name.

The door slid open a minute later to reveal an annoyed and tired Jack, wearing nothing but boxers. "What is it A-chan?" He asked.

Amadi blushed. "Go put some clothes on idiot!"

He grumbled and grabbed a shirt that was on the floor. He put it on and asked, "Happy?"

"Can't you put some pants on? This place is home to three girls now. You could be a little more polite."  
Jack smiled. "They won't care. I'm sexy."

Amadi stared at him with a blank look on her face. She closed his door and ran to her room. She collapsed onto her bed in a laughing fit.

Everybody heard her, including Jack. "Evil bitch," he muttered as he stripped and dove back into the bed.

Warren woke up from his peaceful slumber and wandered into Amadi's room. "Ko-chan, what's so funny?"

Amadi stopped laughing and sat up on her bed. "You're brother thinks he's sexy."

Warren made a face. "Are you saying I'm not sexy?"

"Even though you are twins, you're completely different. Don't be like your brother, alright?"

He nodded. "What're you gonna teach me today?"

"Socialization." She smiled cheekily.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

* * *

Amadi assembled the children, River, Deli and Warren in a small room. The room had one couch and a coffee table with milk and cookies on it. She gave them each a designated spot on the couch. River in the middle with Warren and Deli on either side of him.

"Now that you are all here and seated…you cannot leave this room for twenty-four hours. If you try to leave, we- I will not train you." Amadi ran out of the room and locked the door. "Good luck!"

Warren took a cookie and dunked it into his cup of milk. "This will be fun," he muttered sullenly after he took a bite.

Jadeline turned away, not even sure why she had been placed in there, especially with her brother. "Well, I'll be over there," and she moved to a quiet corner away from the two boys.

"Hey." River sat up on his knees, examining Warren closely. "You look kinda like that guy with blue hair, Iceman." The boy took a bite of the cookie Warren held, finding a comfortable seat in his lap. "Your hair is cooler though." He wrapped his fingers loosely in the pink hair innocently. Jadeline shot back a glare, but River didn't pay any attention. He was too focused on the Iceman look-alike-not-look-alike to notice.

River slumped forward a bit, feeling the hurt of no sleep. He stayed up all night, head filled with 'I wonder's and 'what if's. He unknowingly rested his head on Warren's chest. "And you're not as cold." Closing his eyes, the boy gently whispered, "Yeah, I like you better." With that statement he fell asleep instantly, still wrapped all around Warren.

Jadeline sighed. "He can fall asleep on a perfect stranger, but no on his own sister…Warren was it?" She returned to her spot on the couch. "Just consider yourself lucky, in a way. He usually bad mouths strangers, and he doesn't normally sleep that sound. But a warning, he may or may not remember this, though if he does…this boy will look to you for help, advice, etc." She stared at her brother, then Warren with a blank expression. "Basically, you might end up putting him to sleep every night." Her eyes softened at the sight of River, peacefully sleeping, for once.

Warren let the boy sleep on him. "Glad I could help," he said sarcastically. He finished the cookie he and River were eating and started another one. "So~," he started. "What's your story?"

"What do you mean?" Jadeline's eyes narrowed. "Our town is virtually in ruins. Then I guess that Damyen showed up pissed, River got overexcited and dragged me here with him to chase after the 'legendary pilot'. According to River, she is a prodigy." River relaxed a little more, feeling like light dead weight. "What about you?"

"Your story is better than mine." He adjusted his weight so that he was comfy. "Ever since I heard about Amadi from my brother and the few times I saw her, I wanted to be a pilot," he explained simply.

"That girl…" she seemed to recall talking to Amadi last night. "I only talked to her for a bit, but I think she is different. Do you know anything about her?" She hugged her knees, adjusting her body to fit perfectly in the corner.

"Not really," he said scratching the back of his head. "She didn't talk to me much. She was always with my brother or she was working."

"Iceman? He doesn't seem co-operative," she said disappointed in not learning anything new about Amadi. "This little one thinks so, too." River's breathing could be heard loud and clear.

"Well, he's a little possessive, but he can be a good guy…when he wants to be," he said sullenly.

"First impression equals bad guy. Therefore, I believe he doesn't have one real sincere bone in his body, especially since he couldn't talk to River kinder. River thinks that, which gives him more reason to be attached to you." Jadeline cuddled up ever closer to the corner of the couch, sensing the contents of River's dream. Her eyes narrowed as she rested her chin on her knees. She didn't hate doing this; it did get them out of hell, but she also wasn't planning on training. That's what River aspired to be. She would sooner take her own life than become a pilot at one of those damn machines. "I'll guarantee he'll be different upon waking, so you know. And please just deal with his annoyances. Poor kid gets knocked down every time. He's too…never mind." She sighed, suddenly shying away from conversation. There was a long comfortable silence.

Amadi went to Jack's bedroom after she locked the trainees in the other room. Amadi forced his door open and said, "Bye-bye. I'm going into ton to get some parts."

Jack waved a dismissive hand in good-bye.

_What a lazy guy_, she thought. She sighed and went in search of Damyen.

Damyen had scuffed out of her room, turning the corner. She accidentally bumped into Amadi. Her hair was in a ruffled pony tail, and she had tied a bandana on her head. "Going out?" Clearly she was exhausted, and beyond tired, but Damyen didn't complain about being tired. Honestly, she looked like crap.

"Yeah, I'm gonna go buy some parts. Will you come with me," Amadi asked politely.

"I suppose it won't kill me." She scratched her head lazily. Damyen could not refuse. She always found something new for her mech, even if it was useless.

"I also need paint and…I need to order things."

"Alright, alright...I said I'm going, didn't I?" Damyen said, irritated. "Not taking Jack-ASS, I see." She glanced around and suddenly wondered where the two brats had run off to. "Isn't River coming?"

"Heheh...I kinda locked him in a room with his sister and Warren. It's to ummm...what did I tell them? Oh yeah! It was probably something about teamwork." She gave Damyen her most innocent smile, unconsciously.

Her face stilled, expressionless. "Teamwork? What the hell is that?" Damyen scoffed. Honestly, she could care less about where River and Deli were, but locking them in a room to learn something she didn't think existed was pointless. "You a Master now or something? Some kinda...trainer?" She slightly leaned forward.

"No, but I can't exactly do anything I plan to do today if they are around. I'm going to surprise them, even though it will be more like torture for them," she muttered the last part, mostly as an after thought.

"Uh-oh, I think I should be scared...just how do you plan to surprise them?" Damyen didn't think they deserved any surprise at the moment. River and Deli just showed up at their facility, and Warren was just Warren.

"Don't worry," Amadi said with an innocent smile on her face. "I'm sure you'll figure it out along the way."

"Huh?" Damyen twirled a red strand of hair. "Hmph, fine, fine. Keep this all a big secret. Let's just go."

"Don't be mad Damyen, it's not really a secret. I just...i have no clue why...I just don't. Yeah, I'll go with that," Amadi said. She sounded like she was trying to convince herself instead of Damyen.

Damyen wanted to understand what Amadi's words meant, but at the moment, it just wasn't worth it to ask. After all, what Amadi was doing really had nothing to do with her. "Can we just leave already, before I change my mind?"

"Oh, yeah, sure." Amadi lead Damyen out to the mechs and jumped in hers. "Lead the way," she shouted. If she had lead the way they would have been lost for weeks and in that time the people locked in that little room...would probably be dead so she was letting Damyen lead her.

"Uh, where are we going exactly?" Not that she was any better with directions. Damien also hopped into her mech, slowly, waiting for a store name or something.

"I don't know...What's that city I always go to when I want to bother that one stupid mechanic...I think it is called Mecha Rush or something stupid like that," she replied into the hand shaped headset that she and Damyen had. She sat back and closed the hatch. "I don't remember. I'm a very forgetful person, ya know."

"Think I'm any better?" She set the system to 'Mecha Rush', serious with her never changing expression. "And why do you wanna bother a stupid mechanic anyway?" Damyen couldn't recall who Amadi mentioned. Bothering mechanics was never really her thing anyway. She didn't pay any attention to it.

"Because he is a blind old man who needs to frickin kick the bucket. He's good at what he does, but he's like two-hundred or something. It takes forever for him to remember to call me when he gets the parts I order in. Not only that, but he forgets when he looks for a part in the back after I just asked him to find me one. Lucky for me, his grandson is cool. He's never around though," she ranted. "I'll be very~ happy if he's there today."

Oh man, she thought. "Another boy fetish? Seriously, you need to get a life...how many guys do you have on your trail then? 100?" Damyen clicked some more buttons as her mech turned on. "You got the old man too?"

"I do not have a boy fetish Dai-chan," Amadi pouted. "They just happen to get along with me. Like dogs or something, but dogs are cuter. Dai-chan can we get a pet dog?"

Her face scrunched up. "No. No pet dogs. You already have enough. And if you have to leave them in a locked room, they are too much for you to handle." Damyen laughed a bit, wondering if she would get bit later on. Normally she hated to comment on things like this, but she was specifically asked an opinion and she honestly answered. "You must prove to be responsible with those three and then we will see."

"I wonder if River and Warren are getting along okay. I think they have...a connection of sorts."

"Uh-oh, that sounds somewhat dangerous." It wasn't a huge cause for worry luckily. Damyen exited in her mech, knowing Amadi would immediately follow.

Amadi immediately followed her like a lost puppy. She seemed to do that when she went out with Damyen. She did well enough on her own, but the thought of walking with a trusted friend always appealed to her more.

"Really, is it so hard to follow a map? It tells you where to go..."She flew straight for a bit, taking a sharp right turn, only a few feet above the cars.

"Yes. It is that hard," Amadi replied simply. She followed Damyen over the cars.

"Sheesh...seriously, what am I gonna do with you?" The mech shop was still a good fifteen or so minutes away. She still wasn't in the mood for this, but there was no choice. Amadi couldn't get "lost" again. Now that was forbidden. Maybe she would show Amadi how to use the navigation system and then return to the dead town...for Akiko. Lately, she wanted to go back, curious to see if her teacher was still alive. And she could get a hold of River and Deli and take them back there as well. "Akiko-dono," Damyen silently sighed.

"Who's Akino?" She hoped she got the name right. Through the headset that is what it sounded like

"Huh?" Damyen's opened wide. One, she didn't think she had said anythin, b) if she did know, she didn't think it was loud enough for someone on the other end to hear, and 3z) Amadi had luckily heard the name wrong. "No one. No one important anyway."

"Okay," Amadi said. She knew her friend was lying, but she wouldn't push her.

"I think we are close. If you don't mind, I'll pick up a couple things, input the auto coordinates so you won't get lost on the way back, so I can take care of some things." Amadi wanted to know, and she realized that, but now wasn't the time. Akiko was too important to talk about in vain.

"Input the auto coordinates...done. Later Dai-chan!"

"I said I had a couple things to pick up first. And I think I want to double check those auto coordinates to make sure they are right." Her mech slowly lowered down, eventually making a smooth and safe landing.

Amadi followed Damyen with a slight sulk. Her mech lightly pounded on the ground when she landed it. "I'm not a baby..."

"Well, that is news to me. I wouldn't want you getting 'lost' again for a stupid reason like inputting the wrong coordinates...plus, sticking them all in the same room to 'socialize' is you really avoiding being a trainer, which makes you a child, hun...sorry to say." She opened the cockpit, hopping out in one jump like usual. She waved for Amadi to join her. The shopping wouldn't take long, and then she could go on her own for a while.

"You're so mean," Amadi shouted as a rope lowered her down from the cockpit. She was too lazy to jump down. "And I am not avoiding them! They're most of the reason I have to go shopping!"

"Oh boy," left her mouth. Something was brewing trouble and Amadi would soon be blamed. "And I think compared to you, I am a saint." She grinned, entering the rather large mech store. Compared to others though, it was small. ; family owned business sort of thing.

Amadi raced after her comrade. "You are no saint, but you are no evil spirit either." Amadi looked around the store. There was no one to be seen or heard. "Where the hell is everybody?"

"Not here maybe?" She kept glancing the shelves, no desire to search for the owners.

"I have to place orders for some parts though and he might have some in store."

"Hey! Old geezer!" Damyen yelled, blankly searching the shelves as before. Maybe she would get a quick answer that way.

There was a clank from the back and some muffled grumbling. An old man with white hair walked into the open rubbing his head. "You youngsters are too loud."

"If we're too loud then you're too old," Amadi replied.

The old man looked up at the purple haired girl. He smiled instantly with the knowledge that Amadi always spent a lot of money. "Oh, hello there Amadi. Shouldn't you respect your elders?"

"Shouldn't you be wise," Amadi questioned back.

"How unusual for you to be such a smart alike to me."

"How unusual for you to be such an old man...oh wait, you're always an old man," Amadi laughed.

"You little brat! See if I sell you anything."

"Old man...I'm your only business," Amadi said plainly.

"Since you put it that way...you are forgiven."

This is the way things normally went between them. Honestly, they were so immature.

"Oi, stop chattin up a storm...Where is that oh-so selfish, arrogant son of yours old man? I need to speak with him. Maybe he is under whatever just crashed..." Damyen sneaked into the back, grinning when she saw the blonde crawling onto his feet. "Yup! Got him!" The young boy stood up, trying to look older and bigger than her.

"What can I do for you miss?" She usually made business with him.

"Well, shorty, for starters you can get me everything on this list," the red head pulled out a large roll of paper with scribbled writing on it. "By tonight. And no complaints or there will be no reward."

"Okay!" The blonde glanced over it. "But what do you need these things for? It is all for going nitro...but your pretty metal buddy don't have nitro capabilities."

"Yet," she smirked.

"Oi, not thinkin of finding a battlefield soon, are ya?" He scratched his head. Damyen walked closer to the boy, placing a finger over his mouth.

"Shut up, and do what I say...got that?" Her dead eyes managed to scare the hell out of him.

"Yes sir!" He saluted.

"Good boy." She smiled again. "I shall see you later, Ren." The girl walked back out, waving to Amadi. "I'm off now. Later Amadi. Send a note of your death old man, we kindly look forward to it." Damyen laughed, proceeding out the shop and quickly climbed into her mech.

Amadi watched her friend pass by over head. "She forgot to check my auto coordinates...I hope she knows I'll probably get lost!"

"How can you get lost? I installed a tracking device in your mech. That should make it impossible for you to get lost," the old man said incredulously.

Amadi gave him a confused look.

"It beeps..."

"OH! The annoying beepy thingy! I didn't know that was a tracking device. How do you use it?"

"Did you read the manual?"

"There was a manual?"

The old man sighed and straightened himself out. "You're a pain in the butt."

"Yeah, but I'm a pain in the butt with all the money you make. Anyway, I am in need of parts...lots and lots of parts." Amadi pulled out a bunch of papers with amazingly neat handwriting and handed it to the old man. "Do you guys carry paint too?"

The old man read over the papers. He glanced over to the shelves. "We'll have to order a lot of these parts...including the body and paint products. It'll take a few weeks to get some of them in, but you can take the ones in store home today. Ren! Come help Amadi load up these parts!"

"Sure, sure." He was disappointed that he didn't get to give Damyen a proper goodbye, but that wasn't going to be the last time he would see her. Afterall, she wanted everything on that list by that night. Ren slipped into the front, taking note of the parts he would have to load. "Eh, pops, take a look at this too. All in by tonight, a'ight?"

He left to begin carefully packing the parts. "Hey little miss, where do you want it all to go? Can your little friend here carry all this weight?"

"Call me little miss one more time and I will crush you," Amadi said in spite.

"Alright...where do you want these to go, young lady?" He grinned, knowing he would get a smack or two for that.

Amadi punched him on the back of the head. "You really are a mesocist. Don't go asking for pain. Just put it in my mech where ever it will fit."

"Oh, see you give me too much freedom, young lady. I might be a naughty boy and stuff it in your cockpit so you can't get into it." His grin was obviously full of innuendos, but his jokes were better suited for the fangirls, and the fanboys. He couldn't tell for sure if she would laugh or not.

"Huh? You speak weird. Just put it in a big box and I'll carry the stuff back if this task is too difficult for you." Amadi was too dense to catch the meaning in his words. Sometimes she did, but only when it was obvious.

"Heh, fine, fine." Ren scratched his head, laughing it off. The blonde began to scrounge around for items on Amadi's wish list. Well, it was only a start. He would be working on this 'project' for awhile. "Oh, young miss, if you happen to have any single friends, swing 'em on by. There is a dinner party I was invited to, but I have to go with someone..." His dad looked at him in a suspicious manner.

"No way. Damyen says that you are a perv," Amadi said blankly.

"What? And you believe her? Anyone will do," he pleaded. "This is a very important dinner party for me. It is a make or break...oh, my plans would go to ruin!"

"Plans? What plans," Amadi asked, curiousity completely overriding Damyen's don't believe him programming.

"Plans that you can't know about. If you find someone for me, I shall tell you, alright?" He smiled, knowing he instantly broke the barrier.

"Plans first. Person later...perv."

"No, that isn't the way it works. Person first, then plans, little miss," Ren stressed.

Amadi huffed. "No person then."

"Then no parts," he challenged, dropping everything he had already gathered. "I think I'll work on Damyen's things then." The blonde ignored Amadi, going around to a different shelf and disappearing into the back before returning to the 'hold area'. "Enda's gonna kill me if I don't...so if there is nothing important, I suggest you get outta my hair old hag so I can keep my life." Suddenly, his tone darkened. His plans really were on a make or break scale. Damyen wouldn't be willing, and neither would Amadi obviously, and no one knew anybody. He drowned himself in the list belonging to the red head. This was priority.

Amadi looked at the parts on the ground. Okay, I can either get off my lazy butt and get all the parts myself or I can risk I don't know what and go to whatever this brat was talking about, Amadi thought. Damn, that's such a hard decesion. After spending about ten minutes standing in the same place thinking about it she walked up to the blonde and said, "I'll be the person, you load my crap for me and tell me these...plans."

"Huh?" He stopped for a moment to blink. Shock. "Why would I ever want someone like you there?" He ruffled his blonde hair. "It ain't happnin, girly." He quickly got back to work on Damyen's wish list. His plans mattered more than anything, but he would rather suffer losing his chance then going with Amadi. No way was that worth his plans.

"What the hell is wrong with you," Amadi growled. "I'm trying to be nice and you being a...a...damn what's a good word in this situation..." Amadi trailed of as she went into a thoughtful pose.

"Not attractive, nor grabs my attention," he commented, walking around her, almost pushy. "And pretty much any word would work there...if a simple name is supposed to hurt me, then you are already defeated." There wasn't one name he hadn't been called.

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.

That was what he was told to believe anyway. "And you are only being nice so you can wiggle your way into gettin plans. Well, I'll tell ya what, lady, it ain't happnin either. I'd take a cryin lil baby over you any day!"

"I bet that's why Damyen doesn't pay attention to you," Amadi scoffed. "Being rude to her comrade. Hmph!"

"I don't care if she pays attention or not. All I care about is business and she likes to give us business, much as you do." Honestly, using Damyen in this situation. He sighed in disbelief.

"Whatever," Amadi huffed. "You're a pain in the butt."

"Proud of it!" He was sure to find someone last minute anyway. Amadi layed on the hood of a car. It was warm and comfy. They were probably running it not to long ago. I wonder if Deli would do it, she thought. "Can you get my stuff loaded anyway? I am a paying costomer and if I don't come back who will your grampa exchange playful banter with? Certainly not you, you aren't smart enough for that."

"Haha, very funny...and I believe the policy is pay triple for each loading, and right now orders? So, it would be six times for you since you want it now and also want me to load it up, now." He crossed off a couple things on Damyen's list he had already packed away in the back for her. "I would tack on an extra fee just because you are demanding, as well as hassling and harassing." He was about to shoot himself for talking like this. Never in his life had he been so outrightly rude. But he continued. Every time something came out of her mouth, he had to find some way to comeback. Really, it was beginning to be a pain.

"That's okay," Amadi smiled. "Damyen carries around the check book. She says that if I carry around the check book we would have no money or worse be in debt." In other words...Amadi would lose it.

"Well, nice to hear you can at least hang with someone responsible. I bet you don't even know how to use the checkbook..." Ren laughed.

"Are you kidding me? Damyen keeps it because I know how to use it," Amadi scoffed. This kid was starting to get on her nerves.

"Whatever...no way I am gonna believe ya, little missy." He had no reason to believe anyone. This was ridiculous. Ren didn't even feel like himself anymore. This was wrong. He should stop and apologize, throw everything down and ask for forgiveness. He didn't. He couldn't even gain the courage to tell her to get away before he went over the edge. "It just ain't happn'n." Though the young man paused, mentally scarring himself into stopping. At this moment, he could barely hold back punching one of the shelving units. But he did. Barely. Ren hoped the conflict wasn't obvious.

Amadi stared at him for a moment. "Having an inner conflict are you? I'll just go wait in my mech then." She jumped off of the hood of the car and briskly walked outside.

Ren smacked himself on the head. "Tch, damn it..." Kicking a nearby tire didn't help. Though it could've sprained his toe. "She forgot I wasn't getting her parts yet..." Excuses to go talk to her weren't exactly getting through either. The blonde decided to go after her, anyway.

He caught her just before reaching her mech. "Amadi!" Ren called, hoping to stop her.

Amadi stopped. "What's up Ren?"

"Um....uh.." He scratched his head. Why did he come out here? "Could...you wait till tomorrow for your stuff? It would make things easier and all...ya know.."

"I can, but Damyen can't...good luck with her. Bye bye." Amadi hopped into her mech and turned some music on

[I always will remember, twas a year ago November~]

Ren hopped up as well. He honestly didn't mean for the conversation to take that direction, but it did. He turned the music down, staring at her, calm and serious. "Amadi, damn it! I want to apologize, but I don't know how without making more of a mess. And I really didn't mean to say all those things, okay? I wanna punch myself every time I say something rude...but I ain't strong enough for that, and I was trying to ask you politely to wait...and I know I deserve whatever bitchin you throw at me...but I just..." His hands rolled into tight fists. "Am I wasitn' my energy here?" He quietly asked, wanting to cry, wishing to cry.

"I didn't leave did I? I just wanted to listen to music while I waited."

This attitude was still irritating. "Can't you just say anything straight forward?" His voice lowered volume, feeling like he would cry. As much as he hated this, it was still nicer than what he had known with just him and his father growing up, trying to live off running a small business. Damyen was nice, but there was something that didn't give her that sisterly quality. Amadi made him want to cry, only because he realized she didn't leave, and it was confirmed that she was waiting. "I just don't want you to leave mad!"

"Okay. A) I didn't leave and 2) I'm not mad." Amadi put her fingers on the volume knob. "Can I return to my music now or do you want to talk with me?"

"Um, do you mind if I talk with you? Is that bad?" He didn't move until he heard an answer.

"I don't mind. What's on your mind?"

"Well," he took a seat next to her. "My dad...he likes to keep a happy face. And I...well, have issues. Those plans I was gonna put up would have been a chance for me to be on my own so I don't have the chance to ruin his business." He childishly swung his legs back and forth. "He doesn't know about it, I wanted to keep it secret to surprise 'im...I never know how he really thinks of me anyway...Not that I've ever asked...." Ren nervously played with his hands.

"Then you should ask him. Be more straightforward with your feelings."

"I can't though. It is another part of my...issues. They maximized while talkin to you and I couldn't stop it...I tried...I guess it was a little side effect of somethin...no one told me though..." He sighed, focusing on the music for a second. "Can I lay in your lap?" He didn't want to ask too much of her.

"I guess. You are like a brother to me so I should help you."

It wasn't a yes, and it wasn't a no. Ren laid his head down on Amadi's lap closing his eyes. "I've always wanted to do this. I never had the chance to rest in my mother's lap, and I don't have a sister...girlfriends are just outta the question...." He sighed, looking up at her. "So I guess you are inbetween a sister and a mother..." He paused, realizing it could be taken as an insult.

"I can take that as a compliment or an insult and knowing you, it is a compliment...I think."

"I guess, yeah...I think..." His head cuddled up to her stomach. It was so warm and comforting. He could fall asleep like this. He could die happy like this.

"Shouldn't you be working right now? I wonder if your gramps is pissed." Amadi wasn't trying to sound rude or anything. She was just stateing some facts.

"Nah...I am just takin a break...I need one...If I fall asleep, just wake me up in a half hour or so." His grandpa managed better on his own anyway. He ran the store for many years before Ren even existed. Taking a little break wouldn't be bad.

"Alright. But make sure you have Damyen's parts ready when she comes. She'll be mad if they're not ready."

"Oh, she won't be coming back until the morning. That girl's just worried about getting it within a day." He smiled, nuzzling more into Amadi's lap.

"Yeah, but wasn't her list really long."

"If you want me to leave, I will...all ya gotta do is say so..."

"I was just thinking that I could help out."

"..." His eyes opened as he shot up, practically kneeling in her lap. "Huh?" Ren blinked. Her? Help him? There had to be some sort of catch. "Not bein' rude...but, uh...why would you wanna help me?"

"Because I have nothing else to do today and the only people I can pick on are locked in a room for twenty-four hours. It's a team building thing."

He laughed. "Picked up some new dogs?" It was obvious Amadi was new to training others. Being locked in a room for twenty-four hours was either avoiding them, really teaching them team bonding, or both. "Alright, tell ya what...ya help me with Enda's long list, and if we have time, yours as well...but I want to go back to base to visit these new recruits...whaddya say?"

Amadi crossed her arms over her chest and thought a moment. What harm could it do, she thought. "Sure. Why not?"

"Really? Ya mean it, miss?" He clasped his hands together, looking her happily square in the eye.

"Yeah. It's not like doing that would be the end of the world."

"Haha, right..." He scratched his left temple. Right, there would be no harm.

"I mean, you're just visiting right."

"Uh-huh!" He enthusiastically nodded.

* * *

A/N: I'll give you readers some time to rest your eyes. You've probably been reading too many fanfics…What am I saying, that is nonsense! Keep reading to find out what happens.


	7. Chapter 7 Part 1

Chapter 7 Part 1

"It's the end of the world," a woman screamed in a shrill voice.

"Annie! Don't go crazy on me! I need you," A man said as he rushed to her side.

"Oh, Derek!" "Annie!" "Derek!"

Warren's eyes began to water as the movie credits rolled. "That was such a sad movie," he sniffed.

River was desperately clinging to Warren, trying not to cry as much. "Warren, is it over?" He quietly asked from Warren's chest. Deli couldn't help a smile looking at her younger brother.

"Yes," Warren sniffed out. "The movie is over."

The boy slowly looked up, eyes red from crying. "Hey Warren..." He started softly, leaning closer. "What would you do if it really was the end of the world?" He was practically kneeling on Warren's lap. It was an innocent question, but the fire in his eyes obviously said otherwise. Deli pulled back a smirk, holding in her laughter as she knew exactly what the boy was up to. To give him more privacy, she went and sat in the corner, covering her hearing and closing her eyes. Silently, he thanked her.

"If it was the end of the world...I'd ask Amadi what to do," he said after contemplating the question. "Honestly, I wouldn't know what else to do."

"Oh..." The boy's face fell, and he hunched forward slightly. "Is that right?" He dropped into the next seat over, not wanting to be a bother. "You like her that much?" His eyes stuck to the floor. Sure he was a child, but he still thought Warren was cute and interesting. It wasn't love, but he still felt a little jealous over it all.

"Well, yeah. She's like my sister," Warren laughed.

"Really? How long have you known each other?" Deli chimed in. River silently growled, shooting her a glare, and she reciprocated. "And exactly what does 'like my sister' mean?" She curiously continued.

"You have an older sister, you know what it's like," he told River.

River looked over, about to laugh that it seemed like Warren had answered him. "It's terrible," he half-sarcastically complained. "Sometimes she acts more like a mother." Deli rather took that as a compliment, as she usually did. "But...I guess it is nice to have someone else around." River unconsciously leaned on Warren, sighing. "If Jadeline was not here, I suppose I would be more of a troublemaker than I already am, one of those stupid street punks, ya know?" A smile played onto his sister's lips, quite content at the moment. It was the first time she had heard him say something like that.

"You're not a trouble maker, River," Warren said pulling him closer.

The boy blushed at the light touch. "I am though. I do a lot of things wrong, and I don't think things through before I do things....really, I make more work for her." He avoided looking at either of them, and thought it better to stare down at nothing.

"Everybody makes mistakes. Besides, that is what sisters are for. They clean things up for you when you make a mess out of it. Amadi would stick up for me at school sometimes and make excuses for me when I skipped. She's a great sister." He thought about his brother for a minute. "Just be happy that you don't have an evil, cynical older brother."

River laughed, remembering how that guy had treated him. He definitely preferred Warren. He was cuter anyway. The boy nodded, agreeing with those words. "Yeah. If I did, I would probably be a little bit stronger than I am now just from beating him up or something...but instead, I am weaker...people used to call me the gullible girl of the town." River slumped down a bit, wondering what other things people had said about him.

Warren thought about how he could change that statement into a compliment for the boy. "That means they think you are cute," he said happily.

"Pssh, doubt it," River quickly dismissed that theory. No one in that place ever even tried to let him fit in, and it was not because he was cute. People had commented that is hair was white when he was born but it was red now because it was stained with blood, and every one of those back alley gangsters thought his eyes were real gold, so they were always out to rip them from his head.

"But you are cute," Warren said. "I think you are cute anyway."

"Sure, uh--WHAT?" River kneeled up on the couch, his hands clenching either side of Warren's shirt, desperately clinging to the older male. "Do you really think so? I mean, I never thought so, but uh..." His cheeks were flushed as his eyes slid down to the other side of where they were sitting. Deli smiled wider. This was going exactly as she wanted it to go.

"You're just so adorable," Warren cheered, pulling him into a hug.

"Ah ,h-hey!" River protested, but making no move to escape from the strong hug. He felt his entire face go red, hugging Warren in return. "Am I really?" The boy asked quietly.

"Of course you are. You're so tiny and adorable and huggable."

"Huggable? So I am just a hug toy or something?" He lifted his head slightly to gaze sadly into Warren's eyes. If all he was good for was hugging, then he might as well die right then and there.

"Well, I'd like to get to know you more. Right now you are so cute and huggable, but I bet that there are times when you are scary, kind, moody, or kissable."

He was bright red when he listened to the last word. Kissable? He had never kissed anyone in his life! And no one had ever bothered to kiss him. "I-I guess, I dunno about k-k-kissable though..." He shyly looked away, hoping Deli wasn't paying too much attention.

"Of course you are. Everyone is kissable." Warren was being as encouraging as a big oaf like him could be.

"I don't believe myself to be..." River pouted.

"Want me to prove it," Warren asked with a big oafish grin on his face.

"H-how?" He felt his face grow warm, but he stared into Warren's eyes, leaning in even closer.

Warren smiled and leaned closer to River.

The door slammed open and Amadi screamed, "Good morning! I'm cutting your...thing...short..." Amadi lost her train of thought when she saw Warren almost kissing River. She turned at little red and dragged Deli out of the room. "Sorry to disturb you two. Continue what you were doing. Wait! River. My brother is too young to lose his virginity, so stick with things below that level." She didn't even move out of the doorway. She kinda wanted to watch them. She was a yaoi fangirl after all.

River ignored Amadi, staring up at Warren through half-lidded eyes. "Warren?" He softly sighed, practically crawling up the older boy.

Deli pulled Amadi away from the door, allowing to quickly close. "It isn't nice to watch a private moment..."

"But I wanna see it," Amadi whined.

"Fine, but I doubt my brother would be so bold..." Deli crossed her arms and slightly opened the door.

"Deli...Are you a fangirl too," Amadi asked as she looked into the room.

"Um...not really, no..." But she blushed, obviously meaning she was a fangirl.

"Lying is a serious crime in this building," Amadi said in a half serious tone.

"I'm not exactly lying...I think..." Deli smiled, scratching the side of her head.

"Don't be so embarrassed! We're all fangirls here," Amadi shouted quietly.

"I-I'm not!" She quietly shouted back. Meanwhile, River was slowly closing the distance between him and Warren. She wasn't even sure if she could intrude on her brother's important moment! It would surely be rude and he would never forgive her for spying.

Ren cleared his throat and pulled Amadi away from the door. "Let them have their moment, Di, without you watching?" He raised an eyebrow at her in hopes she would just agree, which was likely impossible.

Amadi smiled sweetly at Ren. "No way in hell. They'll have plenty of time for that later on."

"Come on, ya gotta at least help me bring some of that stuff in," he childishly whined.

Jadeline nodded in agreement, knowing it would be an excuse to get away from them. "Yeah, we should help, Amadi."

"You guys are no fun," Amadi pouted.

"Oh, stop being such a voyeur and help unload, will ya?" Ren rolled his eyes and began walking away, Jadeline not far behind.

"Humph. Whatever," Amadi groaned as she followed her friends.

"Good. How much is there to unload?" Deli asked, swinging her arms happily as she walked beside Ren.

"Uhh...not...much?" Ren nervously laughed.

"You shouldn't lie Ren...you're not good at it," Amadi commented as she skipped behind them.

"Pssh...I'm not lyin'!" Ren proclaimed, looking behind to see Amadi. "And how often do you skip, little miss?" He chuckled, placing his hands on his hips as he continued walking.

Amadi stopped abruptly. "How many times do you act like a girl," she asked as she placed her hands on her hips in a taunting manner.

Ren didn't stop, but turned his head to the side to smile at Amadi. "Touché, but I don't think that is the point here." He waved his finger in a circular motion to emphasize "the point".

"Is....is there a point?" Deli asked shyly.

"Of course there is a point, Deli...What's the point Ren?"

Ren giggled. "I think that point was to prove that I was hardly a liar? Maybe...I never know with you," he shook his head smiling.

Amadi shrugged. Things always seemed to get so confusing around Ren.

Jadeline followed behind, giving them a lesser distance to argue (or discuss) from. "Well, anyway, like I said before, there isn't a lot to take in. Amadi here just hasn't seen what 'a lot' looks like."

"And what does 'a lot' look like?" She asked.

"Umm....not sure." He shrugged.

"Probably whatever Damyen needs. She always gets 'a lot'."

"Yeah, she likes to order everything to stock up...not sure why..."

"Maybe she's planning and trip and keeping things for those plans?" Deli suggested.

"Why would she...Amadi," Ren said, "Is she planning a trip that we weren't told about?"

Amadi thought for a moment and shook her head. "Not that I know of."

"Hmm...Well, guess we have to ask her..." Ren trailed off in silent thought.

"Yeah! Hey, if she is, we should all go with her!" Deli added with a smile.

"Don't you think it would depend on where she was going. I mean if she was going on a killing spree, would you want to go?" Amadi would, but she was a different story.

"I guess it would really depend on who it was she was killing in the spree..." Ren answered without thinking.

"Don't you think she would need back-up?" Deli put in.

"That's what I am around for," Amadi declared proudly.

"Right, that's why she left," Ren mumbled, happy to see that they had reached the mech in which they had to unload. "Here, take what you can carry and put it in whichever hangar it belongs to...Deli, ask the lil miss if something is hers or Damyen's." He took another look at the items. "Though most of this is that troublemaker's anyway..."

"Amadi," Ren said authoritatively, "get this unloaded. And fast," he said a little more rude then he should've.

Amadi glared at the boy. "Who died and made you king?" She began to unload the mech anyway, but she still didn't like his tone.

"The old man back at the shop did, so deal," Ren answered.

Deli chose to ignore the bickering and started to unload items she couldn't even guess what they were. "This stuff is weird."

"Your brother should know what they are. By the way, you think they're done? Wouldn't wanna barge in and ask for help if they are still in the middle of the deed..." He also grabbed some things from the mech.

"I'm not sure...River wouldn't go that far. If anything, they've been kissing this entire time...little incubus...Who knew he had such seductive powers?" She bragged while gesturing them to show her the way.

"I wonder what Jack will think of his gay twin brother...eh, he probably already knows."

"Almost forgot about him," Deli said.

"I'll say...you should see them when they shop together...oh, it's a laugh lil miss, I'll tell you that," Ren chuckled leading the way.

"He's always so strict with money..."

"That may be true...But I find them fighting like an old married couple entertaining...I wonder what River would do if he shopped..."

Deli set the stuff down in the appropriate spot. "He's better than I am, sadly. I have him do the shopping, especially when it comes to mech stuff..."

"Mech stuff? What does he usually buy," Amadi asked with major interest. She was no longer interested in the scandal that was happening in the other room.

"Seems he likes to buy a lot of parts for the interior, like engines I think...some other big hunks of metal I have no idea," she sheepishly admitted her non-experience.

"I doubt he ever got anything reliable," Ren mumbled.

"How do you know? He might be a boy genius or something," she told Ren.

"Yeah, I doubt that," Ren scoffed. A boy that age would still be amateur at best, though from what Ren saw, he was already a master of seduction.

"To me he is, but that is mostly because I don't understand anything he is doing with those metal parts and such..." Deli happily threw in.

"I hope he is a fast learner. I won't have to do as much work if he is. I'll just teach him and he can teach Warren." Amadi snickered.

Deli violently blushed. How could she take such a statement lightly. "W-what does that mean?" She squeaked.

"We all know what that means," Ren chuckled. "Now that you mention it, I wonder what those two are up to now...That kid should be helping us! And Warren! Why are we unpacking alone?"

"We're giving them time to bond," Amadi said with an evil smirk.

"Bond my ass," Ren absently mumbled.

"B-bonding? Is that really okay? At such a young age...My brother is too young to become someone's prey," Deli cried.

"Prey? With Warren? You misunderstand Deli. Warren is the prey."

She made a small squeak and Ren laughed. "Expected that one," he said and unloaded some more things. "And it seems like your young bro there has got quite the talent...I would be worried that he doesn't end up eating that poor twin, even if he is better than that Jack ass."

Deli mumbled incoherently to herself deciding now was a better time than ever to busy herself with unloading, as well.

"Watch it Ren," Amadi hissed. Even if he was a 'Jack ass', she would only allow Dai-chan to call him that.

His hands were held in front, pleading. "Whoa, whoa, sorry little missy. Didn't know you actually liked the guy," Ren mistakenly spat out. Deli knew it was far from the truth and kept in a giggle that would immediately tip it off that Ren would be dead any moment now.

"You do know I keep a gun with me at all times right," she said with a glare. She would have been telling the truth if she hadn't left her gun in her mech, but she wouldn't tell him that.

"Right," he said disbelieving. "Just don't wave it around now...I am kinda busy if you haven't noticed."

Such an irritating guy, Amadi shouted in her head. "If I wave it anywhere, it is going to be at your head!"

"Oh, so scared," he mocked. "Just try it and you'll be scrounging for some other mech shop with kind discounts."

"Or maybe I can just tell the old man and he'll put you out into the streets." Amadi then imagined a beautiful picture of Ren begging for money with an old coffee mug which made her laugh maniacally.

Without a better comeback, he blushed like a frustrated child, a "hmph" sound escaping low in his throat. "No way he would do that. Besides, I would have other places to go, little missy."

"Sure you would," Amadi said unconvinced.

"Choose to believe me or not, little missy. Sure Endy would have a place," he stated matter-of-factly.

"I doubt that. Although we have like a million rooms in this place, I don't see your name marked on any of them."

"Don't hafta have my name. See, the other little missy's welcomed me to her fancy bedroom. You just weren't around for it," Ren smiled victoriously.

"I...don't think any girl would welcome you into her room without some plot behind it," Deli silently chuckled, smirking to herself. Ren cautiously took a big leap away from her and was now fully paranoid that his life was part of an assassination plot.

"Eh...well, she did go pretty weird with a kitchen knife...," Ren nervously confessed. "While...she was baking cookies," he finished in a mumble.

"Cookies?! When did she make cookies," Amadi questioned excitedly.

"Told you! When I was invited over and you were go...ne," Ren heard the footsteps and paused. They belonged to none other than a very angry Damyen.

"Ren," she sang, swiftly taking position behind him and immediately brought her arm around his neck. "What about me and cookies?"

"N-n-nothing, Endy! Just making up a little story to entertain the little misses while unloading your shipment."

"Oh damn. I'll have to keep you alive until after it's finished."

"Please don't kill me!"

Ignoring the pleading man in her hold, Damyen glanced around. "Hey, I hope that boy is studying." However, to Deli's misfortune she was noticed. "Yo, where's your young brother? Please tell me he is off learning a thing or two about mechs..."

"Uh...well...it's kinda a funny story really..." She nervously side-glanced at Amadi, silently asking for help. Certainly they would all be on a death list if Damyen didn't like the answer. All the while, Ren was squirming around, still continuing to beg for his life.

"Oh! Both boys are learning alright," Amadi snickered. "You should be happy too. Warren put that little book we gave him into good use already."

Damyen's face brightened. "Oh? Damn, that was fast. Hope Warren can survive that little brat." She smirked, knowing full well that River was definitely smarter than he looked. Damyen released a very exhausted Ren, in a better mood because of this new development. "Well, as one of his advisors, I must go observe to see how they are doing. Anyone who would like to come along may follow."

'B-but...your stuff," Ren pointed to the cargo.

"Yeah, but I need to check on those two. I am partly responsible for what that boy learns." She started walking away when Ren protested again.

"B-but...War needs his privacy, ya know? I mean, maybe he is doing the teaching for you?" That one wasn't as good of an excuse as he thought.

"Ren, make one more lame ass comment about it and you won't live to see another lego in your life," Damyen threatened.

"No! Please no! I'm sorry, Endy! Not another word," he cried. He was how old and still building life around legos? Ren was more of a kid than Damyen thought. Laughing to herself about that, she continued to make her way to the familiar locked room wondering if anyone had followed her. Besides Deli, of course.

"An excuse to get out of grunt work...I love it," Amadi sang as she pounced her way over Deli and by Dai-chan's side.

Damyen decided it was best to ignore Amadi for now. "Deli, how long have they been in there?" She asked before opening the door.

"Um...awhile."

"Well..." Damyen bravely opened the door, making more noise than was necessary, and on the other side she saw River sitting on Warren's lap. "That poor boy...What are you making our young pupil do this time," Damyen playfully questioned, even thought it was obvious River was in total control of the situation.

"D-Damyen?! W-what are you doing here," Warren stuttered. He didn't push River off his lap though. He actually kinda pulled him closer a little bit.

"Umm...I dunno, maybe I just happen to live here? Now, you should probably answer my question."

"Yeah War, you should. She's scary when she doesn't get something," Ren offered with a slight shudder. Damyen glanced back at him with a glare, replacing it with a smirk when returned to Warren.

"River," Deli gasped, blushing and hurriedly turning away. It was still unbelievable for her to butt in her brother's private "affairs".

"I, uh, didn't, um.."

"He kinda looks cute when he's being an idiot," Amadi stated bluntly. She smirked her evil little smirk and teased, "If you're not careful, River, I'm gonna steal him away from you."

River gave her the ultimate death glare, destroying the small distance between him and Warren in no time flat. "Oh, you wouldn't let her do that, would you?" He looked up to the older male with shining, pleading eyes, while his finger absently traced along Warren's neckline.

"Your kid brother's got some spunk," Amadi told Deli.

Warren just sat, stunned at the scene and probably murder that was unfolding around him.

"Obviously he would since he hasn't said anything yet. Guess that means it's fair game." Damyen smirked and quickly walked over to Warren, getting a little too close for comfort. She hated to be this close to him, but it was all for a good cause. "Hey Warren. Are you really going to lose to a boy? Or are you too stunned to make a decision? It's either us girls, or this little boy. What will it be?" She laughed inwardly when River clung on tighter, looking even more helpless than before.

Amadi couldn't help feeling a little bad, I mean this was like mental torture or something, but it was really, really fun.

"I-uh-well-um-he-this," Warren failed to make even a single sentence. He felt so close to crying.

"Why are you picking on my helpless little brother," Jack said with a sigh. He used one of Amadi's shoulders as an arm rest.

Oh, how the atmosphere changed into something so deadly within a second. If River's eyes were lasers, Jack would've been dead by now. The boy wrapped his arms around Warren in an act of protection. "Iceman," he hissed. No, this situation was not good.

Damyen adjusted her standing and just stared at the blue haired twin. "One, he's not helpless, as you can see. Riv's got him all nice and safe. And two, why are you here? I'll kick you out in thirty seconds if you don't give me an answer I approve of." Poor Deli didn't know what to do so she thought it better to wait it out on the side where she felt more comfortable.

"I'm just here to protect my sweet little brother," Jack said innocently. "Besides, there's no way in hell Amadi would throw me out onto the streets. Hm, Ai-chan?"

Damn, why does he have to include me in his fight, Amadi thought. "No comment," she answered. She couldn't say yes and she couldn't say no.

Sweet little brother? Since when was Jack so...caring? He wasn't. Something had to be up. Did he need money? Did some stupid chick break up with him again? It didn't matter what it was. There was no way he was going to stay, especially with that attitude. "Sweet little brother, eh? Too bad, you lose. Now get out, or I'll have River show you what he learned from reading page 456 of my book." Not that he would actually know what the meant, however, River did.

The boy released Warren, standing up, a plotting smile plastered on his face. He refused to leave his protective position, but he would certainly be ready if he had to put page 456 to use. "Hey, hey, why don't we all just calm down, huh?" Ren tried, but he was quickly pushed aside. Deli managed to catch him when he stumbled.

"Well, Iceman, your 'sweet little brother' is already in good care without you around. After all, you shut me out, and I don't think my Warren liked that very much. So, stop trying to get Amadi to like you and leave."

"Riv," Damyen shushed. "Look here, JackASS. Moko-chan would do whatever she felt was right, so don't try to say what she would or wouldn't do," Damyen yelled. This was quite surprising, and even that would be an understatement. It really made her want to slap Jack for his silly assumption. Even she knew that Amadi could do whatever she wanted.

And Damyen would be damn sure that no matter the outcome, she wouldn't run this time. Moko-chan was her friend, and she would stay in any situation. "River, stand by until Moko-chan's decision, kay?" River nodded.

Why do I have to make a decision? Amadi stepped back a little. She didn't want Damyen to get mad at her and she didn't want Jack to start disliking her either. She had to say what she felt even if it meant hurting someone. There was no middle in this situation. "Jack, if you keep acting like this, we will kick you out, but Damyen, please stop provoking him."

Jack stared at Amadi for a minute. "Fine. I'll behave, but just for you." He smiled and gave her little peck on the cheek.


	8. Chapter 7 Part 2

Chapter 7 Part 2

Me, stop provoking him, Damyen thought. It seemed more like the other way around. "Alright Moko-chan, but I don't want to see you two getting all fluffy, which includes him kissing your cheek. If you'll excuse me, looks like I have some work to do, and Ren, you have some unloading to do."

"Y-yes ma'am!" Ren saluted and ran off to do as he was told.

"Good. River, you may do what you want for now. Have a nice day, JackASS," Damyen said, lightly tapping Jack's shoulder as she walked past. And she was back to her usual composure.

"I'm not the one getting fluffy," Amadi whined.

"Why do you care if I get fluffy with Ai-chan? It's not like you can stop me." That was Jack's declaration of battle.

"Sorry, but I won't accept. Do what you want, but Moko-chan already told me to stop, so I will, and like I stated earlier, I have work to do," and with nothing else to say, she disappeared over to where her mech was currently parked. Jack was getting to her, but it's not like she could actually do anything without Amadi's permission.

Amadi thought it strange that Damyen was backing down from the challenge, but she also felt somewhat happy. Maybe things would work out between Jack and Damyen after all.

Jack stared at the girl's disappearing figure. He felt that he was somehow defeated. This wasn't over.

"Looks like she one-upped you," River chuckled turning his attention back to Warren. "Are you still alive," he asked, now looking more childish than he was.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. I'm fine. I just never want to be in that situation ever again," Warren said with a laugh.

"Aw, my poor baby," he cupped Warren's cheek. "I'll make sure that won't happen while you are around," River quietly whispered.

Amadi's eyes sparkled. She felt like glomping River, but kept her fangirl side in check. "So cute~!"

"Ugh," Jack grunted.

River continued to hold Warren with a serious face, almost resembling a small pout. He was still waiting for the pink haired's confirmation on his point.

"Uh...I'm, uh, gonna go help out now," Deli shyly answered and bounded off.

"Yeah," Amadi agreed. "We'll let you guys have some time alone," she added with a snicker.

Before his sister left, River made the bold move of pecking Warren's cheek and jumping off his lap, brushing his leg as he did so. "That's okay. I'll go help out. I am an unwanted guest after all," River smiled. He lightly punched Jack's stomach, finding it entertaining to keep hitting the evil jerk. Everyone else was doing it, so why not add the one more punch? "I'll know if you do anything to him, Iceman, so you better keep your hands off and leave my Warren alone," his eyes narrowed. His smirk, as always, showed the plotting gears turning in his genius mind.

"What a strange little kid," Amadi said in wonderment.

"Annoying brat," Jack said.

"You've got your hands full," Amadi told Warren. "Be careful, there will be no illegal activity here."

"He sure does, and pretty soon, he'll have more than he can handle," the boy smiled normally and skipped off to the others. Jack would better watch himself from now on.

"Nice move," Ren elbowed him playfully, grinning.

Life sure was getting entertaining recently. Amadi thought about how lively everyone was getting and haw everyone was enjoying themselves. Even Jack seemed to be having a little fun. It is at Damyen's expense, but still. Then she turned her full, undivided thoughts to her comrade. She was quite surprised that nobody had been killed yet. It was a miracle really. One person should be dead by know. She walked up next to Damyen and placed a friendly hand on her shoulder. "It's good to see your enjoying yourself," she said with a cheerful smile.

The comment and the gentle touch was a little surprising. Damyen blankly stared at her friend for a moment. What had brought something like this all of a sudden? Maybe Amadi had an evil plot. Nah, it couldn't be. "Um...yeah, same to you, Moko-chan," she softly smiled.

Amadi smiled back and said, "Our students seem to be getting along too. Should we lock them in a closet again anytime soon?"

"Oh, you know how it goes," Damyen casually waved her hand around. "You put them in a closet, take 'em out, and they can never go back in...However," she smirked, leaning closer to whisper. No one else was allowed to hear this. "I do believe we have an extra bedroom in the back?"

Amadi's smile turned into an evil grin. "You are a woman after my own heart," she joked.

"I knew you'd see it my way," Damyen placed her hand on her friend's shoulder. "I have a feeling it will be a late night," she grinned. It was refreshing to smile after her time alone. "So, plan to tell 'em last minute?" By now, Ren had glanced over about ten times per second. He couldn't hear them, though. The behavior of his two little missies was quite worrisome. He could already anticipate their combined evil.

"Of course. It would be no fun otherwise." She let out a small chuckle.

"Oh, I love you!" Damyen exclaimed, pecking her friend on the cheek. "Poor guys won't see it comin'..." Though I'm sure that's what he said, she inwardly finished. "Alright, let's get back to work. I do believe you have an order as well Ren needs to get together." Now she was beaming with happiness, more content than she could ever remember being.

"Yeah. Hey Ren," she called. "Let's get this junk unloaded!"

Ren jumped, feeling the shudder before hearing the voice. "Y-yes, lil missy! Right away." In a matter of minutes, he had unloaded about half the material all by himself before Deli happily joined in. He didn't have to go that far, but he also wasn't going to risk his life by going slower.

"Damyen. Where did you go? You don't have to say, but I am very curious."

"Hm?" She wasn't asking to know everything, just where she went. "Uh...you know...Places," Damyen lamely answered. "Just...back home for a bit," she swallowed. "Um, let's help 'em out, kay? It is our stuff..." Damyen escaped the awkward conversation it could turn into. "Yo Ren, want help?"

"N-no!" It could be a trap. "Go wash up, lil missy. You just got back and haven't had time for anything else."

"Sounds good! I'll double your pay if you organize this crap too by the time I'm done." His ears shot up like a cat hearing the slightest sounds of a jingle. She almost expected him to start meowing. The offer was too generous to turn down. That boy always did love a challenge. "You got this covered, Moko-chan?" Damyen asked Amadi.

"Huh? You just got back and you're ditching me already?!" She looked at Ren and the others. "Alright. I'll keep the kids under control."

"If you don't wanna be apart from me, you are always welcome to join me," Damyen smirked.

"But if I join you then the kids are gonna misbehave...honey." She added honey a little late. To her it seemed like they were playing house or something. Moko and Dai were the parents. Come to think of it...who is the mom and who is the dad?

"Oh, don't be like that, baby. I'm sure lil' River is mature enough to handle them. After all, look what he did to our sweet Warren?" Damyen was having way too much fun.

"He took his virginity already," Amadi asked with a straight face. She was laughing on the inside though.

"Not yet, silly. If that happened, I would been there taping it," Damyen smiled. "Tonight, though. I bet you anything, dear, that it will happen tonight."

Amadi thought for a minute. "Doesn't that make Warren a pedophile?"

"How could you say such a thing? Our darling Warren is obviously uke. He has no choice but to bow to little River's will. It's a perfect match, hon."

"When you put it that way..." she trailed off. Things were definitely going to be more fun from now on.

"Glad to see you understand. Now," Damyen slightly turned to glance at the students hard at work, "Want to watch them, or," she placed one smooth finger on Amadi's cheek. Her smirk grew when she saw Deli watch and look away, face a light pink, "Would you like to join me?" Of course, this was only for the shock value, though she wouldn't mind if her friend wanted to get washed up, as well. It used to be quite common for friends and family to bathe together.

"Nah, I gotta make sure Ren got our order right."

"Okay, hon. Punch him for me if it's wrong." She smiled and faced the others. "Behave for her or I will kick your ass," Damyen grinned. She placed a small peck on Amadi's cheek before making her way to the back where her room was located. "Don't have too much fun without me, Moko-chan," Damyen winked and hopped off.

"Umm...t-time to, uh...organize, right?" Deli stuttered.

"No way. She told Ren to do the organizing. If we help, he has to split is pay evenly between all of us," River confidently stated.

"Ugh...That brat," Ren muttered.

"Heard that," Damyen yelled from down the hall.

"Bet you did!" Ren sighed. Well, he could at least get a start on it.

Amadi hopped onto the foot of her mech and thought it would be a good place to take a nap. "Get to work slave Ren," she called.

"Listen here, lil missy! I am not a slave. I'm gonna get paid double time for this." He still couldn't deny the fact that he was, in a way, still considered their slave.

"Shall we take a little rest ourselves, Warren," River smirked, closing the distance between them with ease.

Warren smiled and nodded.

"Ren, you are our slave," Amadi said matter-of-factly.

"Am not!" He began to throw things into order.

"Come on, Warren," River grinned, pulling River away from the group. "Hey, is there someplace we can...rest," River asked Amadi.

"Yeah. All the way at the end of the hall and to the right there's an empty room...or you guys can just share Warren's room. And Ren, no matter what you think, you are our slave."

"Alright, sharing your room sounds...enjoyable," River said with eager delight.

"Notaslave, notaslave, notaslave, notaslave, notaslave, notaslave, notaslave, notaslave, notaslave, I am NOT a slave!" Ren chanted, rising to a scream. It hardly made him feel better about it, though. In fact, it made it worse because it was almost like telling himself that he was their slave. But, he dutifully continued organizing.

"Don't let River do anything dangerous," Deli stuttered to Warren.

"Dangerous? We're just going to my room," Warren said with a sweet smile.

"Just go ahead and convince yourself of that," Amadi said to Ren.

"Nothing dangerous about that, sis. I'll take real good care of him," he smiled at his worried sister.

"You always say that before something goes terribly wrong," Deli shook her head.

"Warren, why don't you show him the book Damyen gave you," Amadi asked with an evil smirk.

Warren turned bright red squeaked a shut up.

"I will be more than happy, too, Miss Amadi," he said oh-so politely. "Come on, Warren. Drag me to your room and I'll show you how much progress I've made."

"Oh dear," Deli sighed.

"Whoa, no way poor guy's livin through that. Good luck, War," Ren laughed.

"Go River," Amadi cheered as she watched the two leave the roof. Warren had given her a fearful face after she said that. Shouldn't she be cheering him on. As if reading his mind she thought, who cheers on the uke to start things. Not me! Get 'em good River!

The presence of River's smirk lingered in the room. Deli was horrified, thinking of all the things that could happen, especially when Amadi cheered him on.

"Yup, he ain't surviving," Ren happily said to himself.

"Amadi," Jack shouted from the other room.

Amadi sighed and sat up. "What do you want, Jack?"

He entered the room looking down at a sheet of paper. "I have a mission for you and Deli to go on."

Amadi watched him for a minute then turned her attention to the paper. "Where did you get the paper?"

"The fax machine," he said simply. "Now, for this mission you will-"

"We have a fax machine?!"

"Yes. We do. It's in my room now. I figured you wouldn't have the faintest idea of it, but I thought you would at least know there was one here."

"Shut up..."

"Oh. My. God." Damyen stated appearing from behind Amadi. "When the hell did we get a fax machine?!" She didn't ever remember wanting one, let alone buying one.

"I had it in here before you guys moved in. You two are idiots!"

"Hey! Watch it Jack!"

"Hey, I think that's one thousand levels up from JackASS. That means you still have years and years of experience to build. And we'll continue to gain experience while you will forever stay behind." Damyen thought a moment. "Oh wait...sorry. You are so lucky that you will never be able to level up from JackASS." She chuckled. What would he say to that?

Jack ignored Damyran completely and walked closer to Amadi, leaning over her and staring into her eyes. "Do you hear what she is calling me Amadi. I think she is asking for trouble."

Amadi caught the evil glint in his eye and decided to change the subject. "Uhm...What's the new mission?"

"I need you two to follow me," he said as he walked out of the room.

Amadi hopped off her mech's foot and followed signaling for Damyen to calm down and follow her.

Trouble? How can Damyen not ask for trouble? It was like her entire existence was trouble. Nonetheless, she followed with a cool composure. "Where we going Mr. JackASS flirty princess?"

Jack's rage was slowly growing, but he could not be rude and cruel in front of Amadi if he wanted to stay living there. "We're going to the location of you new mission...Ms. Damyen."

"Because I pay for this place, well, most of it and you live here."

"You wouldn't make me go on a mission all by myself would you," Amadi whined. "I mean I went outside because I was mad and got lost for a week."

"Pssh, a well deserved week, to be exact," she mumbled. "So, is this mission just us, Iceman?"

"Yup." He lead them up to a door and handed them helmets. "Some enemies have entered the grounds and you can only detect them with these helmets on."

Amadi picked up her helmet and shoved it on her head. "It's a little tight."

"It's supposed to be."

"Hmm..." Damyen raised an eyebrow before picking it up. "And why do they only appear when we are wearing these?"

Jack glared at Damyen for questioning him, but answered her anyway. "It's called a cloaking device and these allow you to see them."

She still wasn't sure if the helmet was safe, so she decided to make the time worth her while. "And when we complete the mission, what's in it for us, JackASS?"

"You get to keep living here," he growled. This was irritating him. Couldn't she just put the damn helmet on.

"Just put your helmet on so we can get this over with as quickly as possible," Amadi whined.

"But I want something other than living here...obviously, he can't use that. Because if kicks me out, you are coming with. And vice versa. And you wouldn't wanna make Amadi more disgusted with you, now, would you?" Damyen slightly bent forward, looking up and Jack. "So I say that we get free reign to do whatever the hell we want, and we are in command of everything, and I do mean everything, that goes on in this place, connected with this place, and so forth. What you say will have absolutely no meaning. Deal?" This way he wouldn't even be able to manipulate Amadi.

"Don't you think that is going a little too far Damyen. I mean if people are infiltrating then we have to get rid of them anyway."

Jack smiled. It seems Amadi was on his side for this one.

"Although I wouldn't mind having complete control of this place."

"That's what I'm saying. This fool of an immature boy is still in lead of this place, making it easier for him to make you think he ain't so bad. He always tricks you into taking his side, and I don't like manipulating bastards like him. Plus," Damyen exhaled loudly, "I do like being in control." She stared at Jack. "So Iceman, whaddya say?"

"No. Way. In. Hell." That was not going to happen.

"How about a compromise," Amadi suggested.

"No compromise, no negotiation, no nothing. Take it as it is, or I'm leaving," Damyen finished, crossing her arms over her chest. She refused to budge in the least over this matter.

"How about I have Amadi do it alone then?" He looked toward Amadi.

"What?! You want me to do it on my own," she sqeaked.

"Aw~ You can do it. I believe in you Ai-chan. Damyen would just slow you down anyway."

Damyen slapped him good on the cheek. "Then I'll let her do it alone, JackASS." She walked away toward her room.

"Don't make me do it on my own," Amadi cried.

"Then tell Mr. Slapped Cheek there to meet my demands, which now includes him doing whatever I tell him to do." Jack was only making this worse. If he had just agreed to begin with, she wouldn't have to tack something else onto the deal.

"I will make no such deal...and even if I did I would have Amadi promise to go somewhere more...'convenient' for me." He smiled. It didn't mean much, but he kind of liked having these arguments with Damyen. They were so lively and entertaining.

"Oh? Convenient for you? How selfish...what if she didn't want to go somewhere else that was 'convenient' for you, huh? What if she didn't want to go anywhere?" Damyen walked over to him, closing the entire distance between them. "So Mr. Selfish, it seems you only want to be selfish here. At least with us in charge, there are two to make decisions, and we actually give a crap about what others say. Even though you would have to listen to what I said, I would still include Moko-chan before I told you what to do. And do you know why JackASS? It's because for one reason or another, you are her friend. Rivalry wouldn't matter if she told me not to shut you in your room unless I was out. If she said not to, I wouldn't, and that is being way more unselfish than you."

She took a minute to catch her breath, holding the helmet tighter between her arm and hip. "I'll go on this stupid mission, and wear this ugly ass helmet only for her sake, but if you do one more thing to piss me off, I will kick your selfish ass out onto the street, got it?" She let the intensity of her eyes seep into Jack's, staring until he said something of an agreement.

"I'm glad you're cooperating," Jack said.

"Like hell I'm cooperating. I would never choose to cooperate with you if we were the last two living, breathing beings in the entire universe. Now move on and tell us what this inane mission is about." Damyen didn't stop staring, and she didn't move.

"I already told you. An enemy group is infiltrating so you have to eliminate them all. You have to put the helmet on to see them because of their cloaking devices."

"Fine. What else do we get besides these things?" She quickly gestured to the helmet.

He handed each of them a weird looking gun. One was more of a blackish red color where the other was more reddish black.

"What are these," Amadi asked.

"These are a type of gun called Body Arms. They are quite powerful and have sensitive triggers so don't aim them at someone you don't want to shoot."

Damyen took it and pointed it at Jack. "Oh? What if I accidently hit this sensitive trigger?" She examined the Body Arm while keeping it stationed in front of Jack.

"Then one of my evil cohorts will have this place and he will probably kick you out. Get your helmet on and get moving."

"You have no evil cohorts. No one likes you enough for that." Damyen stepped back, continuing to examine the new weapon she was given. Even if she accidentally shot the damn bastard, she would regret it, but not because of his so-called evil cohorts. "This won't take long will it? I still gotta get in going to the shop and telling the old man what a bum Ren is."

"The faster you start, the faster you'll be done."

She shot a glare at Amadi. "I can't believe you are on board with this..." She set the helmet on her head and waited for further directions. From there she would see if she would want to follow orders or not.

Jack smirked and led them outside.

"Pfft...the outside world," Damyen said dramatically.

"I don't see anything Jack. I thought you said there were people-" Amadi fired a shot after seeing a shadow out of the corner of her eye. She turned to look and saw a rabbit shaking. "Oops."

"Trigger happy are you?"

"It wasn't on purpose...well, the shot was made on purpose, but not at the bunny!"

"Jeez...trying to make us rabbit killers JackASS?" Damyen dead-panned. She also saw a shadow lurking in the corner. Before she pulled the trigger, it turned out to be a bird. "And Almost-Bird-Killers?"

"They should be here any minute now...but watching you be so jumpy is really fun," Jack said in amusement.

"Jack," Amadi whined. "You better not be playing games with us. If you are I'm gonna kick your butt."

"Now why would I do that," he said innocently. Something made a sound in the bushes. Jack smiled and said, "Well, you guys have things under control here so I'll leave before things get bloody." He ran inside the base and Amadi heard the door click.

"That stupid ass. What'll happen if we get killed, or kill something we aren't supposed to?" Damyen glanced around to see if she could find where the noise was originating from.

"I think he expects us to not care. How could we possibly get killed, anyway? We're too good." A shot was fired behind her just barely missing her head. She turned around and fired a shot hitting someone in the head. "See...too good," she said a little shakily.

"Right..." Damyen dodged a bullet heading for her shoulder. She turned around and fired at whoever had dared shoot at her. "I don't believe this... "

Amadi fired at anything that moved. She came close to shooting many squirrels, but missed. She hit every human target she aimed at.

"Why the hell do we have to do this?" Damyen reloaded her gun.

"Because..." She fired another round of shots. "No one else in this place knows how to shoot a gun properly like we do...and Jack is evil!!!!"

"I swear, I'll shoot him with this..." Damyen trailed, strategically shooting all around, hitting every target. "Thing! Ugh! Dammit! He dies!"

"Look at it this way," Amadi said while reloading. "We get in some good target practice."

"Haha, I'm not laughing!" Damyen turned around, almost getting a bullet in the leg.

Amadi heard some sort of beeping coming from her helmet. "Damyen...Is your helmet beeping or is it just mine?"

Damyen stopped breathing for a moment. "No, no, it's beeping."

"Why the hell are our helmets beeping," she asked. She paused for a minute. "JACK!!!"

Damyen stood stock still. "Moko-chan, did you just hear a voice say "You are a winner"?"

She listened to her helmet a minute. "Yeah...I did." She looked at her friend expecting there to be an accidental fire that tragically killed Jack in the near future.

Damyen cautiously pulled off the helmet. Her glare was intense, and deadly. "How should he die?" Damyen whispered.

"I can't believe it...Just a game...It was all just a game," Amadi said in disbelief. "That jerk!"

"He will die, infinity times over..."

Jack felt a chill go up his spine. "Looks like they've found out. I'll just stay here 'til they come find me."


	9. Chapter 7 Part 3

Chapter 7 Part 3

"Why would he do that?!" Amadi was on the brink of crying. Her mood changed dramatically when a thought struck her. "I wonder if I can get a high score!" She put the helmet back on and started a new game.

Damyen hit her upside the head. "Are you stupid? He put us out here, telling us this was a real mission, not a game!" But, as expected, a thought hit her as well. "Wonder if these body arm things are real..." She tested it out with a shot towards where Jack's room was located. She slightly stumbled back, quickly regaining her balance. "Yup, and they got a better kick without the helmets!" A smirk spread across her face. Jack was going to regret this for the rest of his murdered life.

Amadi continued to shoot at nothing as she was just aiming for a high score. "I wonder what the high score is anyway?"

"Damn it, would you get out of that thing and stop shooting. That thing is real y'know."

"And so is the high score and I want my name to be number one!" She continued to shoot, but she made sure not to shoot in her friend's general direction.

"Fine, I'll shoot him on my own." Damyen left her friend to beat the high score in order to take care of other orders of business. She slowly made her way back inside, and paused for a moment, mostly for dramatic effect.

Amadi ran after her friend. She could make a high score anytime, but she can only save Jack if she is present when the attempt is made. Therefore, whether she wanted to or not, she had to stop playing to help Jack.

"Oh Jacky-poo," Damyen called in a sing-song voice. She held on to her weapon with both hands, carefully walking around each corner. And yes, she did look like she had just come from one of those cliché explosion stalker films. It didn't seem to matter to her, though.

"Relax Damyen. He was probably just testing our skills. You know to make sure we were still good and all." She gave a nervous chuckle.

"Come on, Jacky baby. I just want to tell you how much fun we had, and you should definitely make another one." It wasn't long until she reached his door, obviously barred with something. "I won't hurt you," she called sweetly ignoring how her best friend really didn't want her to become a psychotic murderer.

"Damyen! Let's go take showers and cool off, oh or maybe we could go swimming! I'd like to go swimming!" She decided against rambling on about nothing in favor of the fact that she didn't want her head torn off.

Damyen silently hissed at the door. Swimming. She didn't particularly like swimming, but being by water did calm her down.

Wait...who the hell said she had to calm down? Oh right, her partner did. "Fine. You win." She left the door alone. "This isn't over, Jack sweetie." Damyen headed off to follow Amadi.

Amadi smiled. She raced to her room and whipped on a two piece swimsuit. It was black with red stripes. She waited outside Damyen's door with towels in hand. She loved to go swimming. Other than mechs and killing, it was her favorite thing.

Damyen's was of course, opposite, red with black stripes, though hers were in more of a boyish style with a half top and something of the likes of swim trunks. "I'm not going in the water," was the first thing she said upon opening her door.

"Aw~ Come on! Not even a little bit," she asked in a pleading voice. She knew her friend wasn't going to swim with her, she never did, but she always asked anyway.

"No." Damyen ended the conversation, easy as that. She didn't need to be in the water, necessarily. Just focusing on the way the ripples became bigger and bigger before fading away completely was enough to satisfy. That, and she would have the chance to laugh whenever her friend messed up at swimming.

Amadi pouted, but didn't argue. She knew she stood no chance at defeating Damyen. She was just happy that she wasn't out to kill Jack...Okay, it was mostly because she got to go swim. "Can we go to the one with the waterfall and the river," she asked excitedly. "You know, that super big one!"

Damyen's inside smile grew. Amadi was such a child. "I don't really care," she stated, promptly followed by a sigh. She made sure everything was locked up and safe before walking in the general direction of the waterfall and river Amadi had just suggested.

Amadi cheered on the inside. She got to spend the rest of the day swimming with Damyen...well, near her at least.

"This won't last long, hope ya know." Damyen stated. She sat on a bench next to the waterfall, folding her legs over each other.

"Whatever," Amadi scoffed before shouting "Yahoo!!!!" and diving in causing water to splash everywhere...except on Damyen. It magically missed her, at least, Amadi hoped it did.

Of course the hoping had cursed it. The very tip of one strand of Damyen's well kept hair had gotten one tiny drop of water on it. How did she not notice? Well, it was because she was Damyen, and already had killing someone in the back of her mind. She had already said that she didn't want to get wet, and that still kept true. Amadi would be in somewhat of a middle ground now. "Moko-chan," the red head deadly whispered. She stood up by the edge of the area where her friend had surfaced. "I thought I told you I didn't want to get wet."

"Heheh," Amadi laughed before letting herself fall deeper into the water. Damyen didn't want to get wet so going father and deeper would be a good idea...right? Good thinking inner Spock, Amadi praised herself. She wasn't the smart type; she was more of the kick ass now, ask question later if they're still alive type.

Damyen was smarter than that. It was the most common trick in the book. "Jeez, I'm outta here," the girl whispered, shaking her head.

Amadi needed to learn to control herself. Why was Damyen so mad about one little drop anyway? It's not like she drenched her friend in water. She stuck out her tongue and childishly swam around in a circle.

Damyen had promised to stay, though. Instead of leaving completely, she just stayed far enough away from the water and contemplated in solitude. Akiko had been hiding in the back of her mind for some time now. River and Jadeline had brought it back into her head and it never seemed more realistic then in that moment when she had found herself in front of the little boy.

Why am I here, she wondered to herself. There wasn't much she could do at this point even if it was a dream. Her heart was communicating to her that she desperately needed to think about him, and so her dreams conveyed the wish. After all, her mech was nowhere in sight. She couldn't have traveled so far without it. "You've grown strong."

Damyen gasped. His voice echoed in her mind once again. "Pssh...what are you talking about old man?" The words spilled out of her mouth without a second thought. "I'm exactly who you wanted me to be, and worse. Even my best friend can't handle me sometimes. How the hell do you expect me to handle myself?"

"The water's ain't so bad. One little bit can't kill you."

"But...Akiko, what about..." A finger pressed to her lips.

"Ah-ah, none of that. You know very well how to swim. Now go be who you were trained to be, or have you forgotten that part of the lessons?" The redhead shook her head. There was no way she could forget how compassionate she had been. The care she expressed before losing her one trustworthy.

"Akiko..." Damyen's green eyes slowly fluttered open. There was the water, and the sound of the waterfall. There was no sign of her friend, however. "Amadi?" She weakly called out. To no answer, she became more alert. "Moko-chan?!" She called louder, standing and walking closer to the water, hoping she hadn't been left alone.

Amadi hid under the water waiting for her friend to get just close enough. Good thing she learned to held her breath for a long time. "Rawr," Amadi called as she leaped out of the water and yanked her friend with her as she fell back in. She would probably get killed for that, but it was so worth it.

Damyen fell into the water, stunned for a split moment. She quickly popped her head above the water and faced her friend. "You are such a bitch," she stated. The purple haired girl got her fair share when Damyen splashed water in her face. "Do that again and you die." Her threat lacked the usual rudeness, coming out plain and unthreatening.

Amadi was glad that her friend wasn't too mad at her, although she would have to remember that she would be killed in the future if she ever tried again. She laughed and said, "I'll try not to do it again." She thought about what she had just said and corrected herself. "I won't ever do it again."

"Good," Damyen answered, floating above the water. At least she remembered not to drown this time."One more thing and I'll be pissed as hell," she whispered with a bit of concern.

"Define one more thing," Amadi said with a nervous laugh.

"Anything you do that bugs me." Damyen sighed. "Basically anything you do." With a slight hint of a smile, she dunked her friend under the water and laughed.

Amadi pushed her friend's hand away and resurfaced, gasping for air. After she had gained some breath she, too, began to laugh.

"Laughing counts," Damyen dead-panned, as she released herself under the water. She swam away from Amadi, waiting for the right time to pop back up for a scare.

Times like this were the best in Amadi's eyes. It was just her and Damyen, which it hadn't been for about a week. As long as Damyen didn't pinch her legs like Jack used to, everything would be a-ok.

Damyen sprung above graceful as a mermaid and landed right behind Amadi. "Found you," she whispered into the girl's ear.

"Kyaaaaaa~," Amadi screamed. The action itself wasn't that scary, but the whispered words of her teammate were. He heart pounded and almost flew out of her chest. "Dai-chan," she whined. "Don't do that."

"Did I scare you?" Damyen teased, a smirk playing on her lips.

"N-No way," Amadi stuttered. "I wasn't scared at all." Her face was betraying her lie with red cheeks.

Damyen gently smiled. "Come on, Moko-chan," she laughed before wading behind the waterfall.

"I'm serious. I wasn't scared in the least. I fight in a giant mech! I wouldn't be scared by you sneaking up on me," Amadi defended matter-of-factly. Too bad it wasn't fact.

Damyen dived under the water once again. She wiggled her way out to where Amadi still was. She waited for a moment. She grabbed Amadi's hand and surfaced with a banging, "GOTCHA!"

Amadi screamed again, similar to the first time, if not louder. "Stop doing that Dai-chan." Honestly, she flew giant mechs and destroyed things for a living. Why was she scared so easily? Maybe it's because she lets her guard down a little while she's around Damyen.

Damyen laughed again, a pleasant sound for anyone who could hear. "I'm just teasing, Moko-chan. Stop being such a fraidy-cat." She pat the purple hair, petting it a couple times lightly. "I'll stop," she promised, and she kept to the promise.

"I'm not a fraidy-cat," Moko pouted. She childishly folded her arms, forgetting for a second that they were in water, and nearly fell under. She untangled her arms and paddled to the side where she could lean and childishly pout with crossed arms.

Damyen crawled out and sat on the "shore" with her feet over the edge in the water. It was times like these that she couldn't think of reality. This wasn't how she normally acted. Akiko played tricks. He manipulated her into acting friendly. Still, it was nice to feel like the old times still existed. Amadi was another child to play with, another social skill she learned while picking up other habits and words she didn't know. Akiko would be waiting when they returned to teach hands on.

But they wouldn't get there in time and the book would already be left in his place. And the others would be gone, running for the hills never to be seen again. This thought turned her expression stone cold. "We should return. I still have a certain Jack-ASS to kill." She stood and started to head back.

Amadi sweat dropped. I thought she forgot, she mentally cursed herself. "Aw. But we were just starting to have some real fun."

"And River needs to have another exam. You can stay, but I'm going." Soon, she had returned where there was no Akiko and no kids. She only had the book to remember. Jack was the next thing on her list.

"And let you kill the guy who pays me my money? No thanks," Amadi scoffed. She pulled herself out of the water and ran to catch up with her friend, not bothering to dry off or wrap a towel around her. She twisted her long, purple hair to get as much of the water out as possible.

Damyen quickly changed into her normal dry clothes consisting of loose pants and her beat up half shirt. Now it was working time. "Riv! I got a new assignment for ya!" She called.

The boy came running down the hall, disheveled with the rolled out of bed style. "I was comfy," he whined.

"I don't care. Now, Iceman has a special surprise for you and Warren," she smirked.

"A new bed? A bigger room? Our own private island?"

"No," she corrected. "But, it can be something close to that if you like. See, he entrusted me with this card here and told me to pass it to Warren. And with this, he said you two could buy all the mech stuff you wanted, and some. I won't tell if you treat yourself to some things for yourselves." Damyen smirked. "Whaddya say?"

"Hecks yeah!" River eagerly shoved the card in his pocket and ran down the hall.

"Don't tell anyone! It's a secret," Damyen yelled after him.

"No prob!" River hopped the rest of the way to what Damyen assumed to be his and Warren's sleeping quarters. This was only the start of the payback. How she got his card? Only she knew that one and she wasn't planning on telling anyone that answer.

Amadi followed Damyen's example and sprinted to her room tp pull on her usual attire of a white spaghetti strap tank top and black overalls that were one size too big. She bought them a while ago hoping that she would grow into them, but she failed to grow any more than she already had.

"What are you doing," Amadi ran up and asked. "Where did you get that," she asked, her eyes glinted with minor jealousy. Honestly, what girl wouldn't want to go on a shopping spree with a credit card she didn't have to pay for?

Riv smirked. "Where did I get what?" He asked, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Amadi gave him a jealous glare. "Is there another one?"

"Another what," he asked innocently.

"Nevermind." Amadi sighed in defeat. Would she ever get her own personal credit card that she didn't have to pay for? No. Probably not. She walked down the hall and saw Damyen. She ran over excitedly. "What're we gonna do now Dai-chan?"

"Kill Jack," Damyen answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I thought you were over that," Amadi groaned. "Can't we just play something?"

"Not monopoly again." Damyen grinned. "How about the 'Kill Jack' game?"

"Dai-chan," Amadi whined. She grabbed the bottom of Damyen's shirt and pulled lightly. "Can't we just forget that he lives here and have fun?"

Damyen glanced over. As best of a friend as Amadi was, this was just the worst thing to do to a person. It wasn't likely that she would forget about killing Jack forever, but for now, it was more than acceptable. "Um...well," Damyen slightly blushed. "Moko-chan...do you really mean...?" She faced Amadi completely, cupping her left cheek. "Are you really ready for this?"

Amadi nodded, leaning into the touch. "Yeah. I'm ready. Don't be too rough though, okay?"

Damyen stood frozen. She managed to keep the shock below the surface. Would Amadi really let her? The young mech owner took a second to convince herself that this was just another dream and it would be over before anything could even happen. Or after Amadi slapped her. Either one would mean that she wouldn't be able to go through with much of anything. "Amadi," Damyen whispered her name, leaning slightly forward.

Amadi didn't move. She just stood there, blinking innocently.

"Uh...um," Damyen's nerves started to get at her. Her heart began to beat faster, still refusing to show on her face. Damyen, however, took a small step back.

Amadi cocked her head to the side and raised an inquisitive eyebrow at her friend. "What's wrong Dai-chan?" Suddenly Amadi felt herself get very self-conscious. "D-did I say something too weird," she gasped. "I'm sorry if I did something wrong." She wasn't sure what she did, but she knew she had done something either stupid or wrong.

Damyen slowly shook her head. "No, you didn't. You didn't say anything," she dropped her hand to her side. She didn't make her friend feel bad on purpose. There...just wasn't a proper way for her to express her emotions.

"Then what's wrong Dai-chan?" Amadi smiled. "You can tell me anything!" She took a second to think. "But you don't have to feel obligated to," she said quickly with a blush. "I mean, if something's bothering you, you can tell me about it...anytime...or not at all. Um..." Amadi wasn't really good with words. She was more of an action type person, but she respected Damyen and wanted Damyen to respect her so she was constantly holding herself back. If she showed Damyen her true self...would she leave Amadi? Amadi shook her head. Now wasn't the time to think like that. She had to be there for Damyen; that is, if she wanted Amadi to be there for her.

Damyen shyly smiled. "It's alright. There are some things that should be kept personal." She ran a hand through Amadi's hair. "You might learn that sometime." Her cheeks matched her friend's. "Unless...you really want to know and would promise not to kill me." She said this knowing there would be no way she could ever spill her thoughts like that.

Amadi pulled Damyen's hand to the side so that she could look her friend in the eyes and didn't let go. "I would never want to kill you Dai-chan." Her eyes were honest and showed no hint of a lie.

Damyen hid a chuckle. Figured that would be the answer, she thought to herself. "Well, don't worry. I'm not upset with you."

Amadi frowned. You're not upset with me, but you're still upset, she thought. Concern began to well up in her body, but she ignored it. After a long pause she finally let go of Dai-chan's hand. "Okay. I understand," she said with a fake smile. She closed her eyes because she knew they would be tray her smile. "Well, I'm tired so I'll be in my room if you need me...or just want my company or something." She turned around to leave, but stopped. "Oh! And don't kill Jack while I'm asleep, kay?" She ran off to her room.

As soon as Amadi was out of sight Jack stepped around the corner, clapping. "Good show. Is there a part two, where you reveal you're undying love to her?"

"Jack-ASS...at least I get a standing ovation, not that it means much coming from you." Damyen put her hands on her hips, reverting back to the stern, stubborn person she was previous to the talk with Amadi. But she couldn't kill Jack. Well, technically speaking, she could because she didn't promise not to, though if she did, she would be dishonest, and it would be an act of betrayal. "What do you want, anyway?"

"Oh! I was just walking by when I heard your sweet little heart to heart. I didn't want to interrupt you. I figured if you told Amadi how you felt and she rejected you, things could go a lot smoother for me," he said with a cocky grin.

"What a little bastard, you cheeky wanker." She walked forward until she as right in front of him. "I would beat your ass if it weren't for Amadi. Speaking like that about anyone would have gotten you banished where I grew up. Or perhaps even executed." She weakly pushed his shoulder. "One more breath, one more thought about doing anything with my best friend, I will not hesitate, even if she says otherwise. Got it?"

"Hn. I don't have to listen to you. I can do whatever I want with her. You can't do a thing to stop me...unless you tell her how you feel?" Jack's smug smile graced his ugly mug again. "If you tell her how you feel and if by some miracle she doesn't reject you, then I'll back off."

"Nice trap, but I won't fall for it. Gambling lives of people I care about is not worth it. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn't, then you still won't have an ounce of a chance, and I'll make sure of that." Damyen turned the other way, more than disgusted with him. "It won't happen...for either of us."

Jack shrugged her off and went to his room to relax. It had been a long and...entertaining day.

* * *

Kirity: With this chapter 7 is finally completely done. Enjoy and review.


	10. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Damyen hadn't gotten much sleep. There was a light slip out of reality here and there, but it was just short of a light nap. Jack had really messed her up. Amadi was in danger hanging out with such a heartless person. She hated the fact, too. Jack shouldn't bother her. HIs words meant nothing. But she had to take them to heart. Well, it was a new day and hopefully Jack had forgotten all about yesterday. "Oh, good mornin'," Ren greeted. "Deli thought it would be nice to get ya guys some presents as a surprise."

"Surprise for what?"

"For letting us stay, silly," Jadeline answered. "We have to thank you somehow."

"Right...hold on." Damyen faced the other hallways. "Oi! Wake up call!! Get your asses out here now!" It seemed no one heard her. "The last one goes back home!" Still nothing. "Warren will be locked up forever and ever!" River was the first out. "Good boy."

"You woke me up for nothing."

"Shut up and be grateful, brat."

"Please be kinder to the children."

"Uh...sorry," Damyen apologized.

Warren was the second to wake up. He stumbled out of his room and rubbed sleep out of his eyes. With a yawn he said, "What's going on?"

"Wait till everyone else is up, War." She yelled again. Anyone who didn't make it wouldn't receive whatever gift Deli and Ren had bought.

Amadi snuggled into her bed. The fabrics were some and nothing could get her to wake up.

Warren looked down the hall at Amadi's door. "She's not gonna wake up you know."

Damyen politely excused herself for a moment, taking the chance to walk down into Amadi's room, without permission mind you. "Moko-chan, you bitch, get your ass outta bed now!" She screamed into her friend's sleeping ear. More than likely, it wouldn't be enough.

Amadi opened her eyes for a millisecond and almost fell back asleep. She reached up and pulled Damyen onto her bed, being sure to cuddle into her. "Warm," she muttered before falling back asleep.

Damyen's thought process shut down. Her friend was tired. That was understandable, however, didn't the blankets give off enough warmth? She wasn't a snuggle toy. Yet, it was still too adorable to handle. At this rate, she might hurt herself. "Um..." But Jack...if he saw this, too...What would that mean for her pride? No, the front had to be put up. "Fucking. Wake. Up," Damyen tried to sneak out of the sleeping embrace. There was no doubt her cheeks were rosy.

Amadi's became slightly irritated by the movement and it showed on her face. She just grabbed the warmth and pulled it in tighter. It would never escape her death grip.

Damyen couldn't sneak out with hurting Amadi. "Moko-chan..." Damyen sighed, mostly annoyed, and a little bit curious. "Please wake up....,"she desperately whispered, really not wanting to be caught by Jack, or by someone who would mouth it off and end up telling the black mailing ass.

"What's taking you so long," Warren asked from the hall.

Damyen cursed under her breath. She couldn't hurt Amadi, but what if Warren got curious and walked in? "Come on Amadi," she forced herself out of the hold. It didn't work as well as she has hoped. Her friend was going to fall off the bed if she rolled over the wrong way, and Damyen was still in her grasp.

Amadi's eyes fluttered open and she said, "Good morning starshine, the earth says hello!" She wasn't exactly awake, but she was conscious and that was a start. She let go of Damyen and rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

Damyen didn't exactly understand what the wakening statement was about. "Idiot!" She scolded, hitting Amadi upside the head, using less force than usual. "Get your ass up and hurry to the common room. Deli and Ren got something going," she hopped off the bed immediately.

"What the hell was that for," Amadi shouted as she rubbed the back of her head. "I don't give a damn about Deli and Ren!" She jumped out of bed and stood glaring at her friend.

"Well, you deserved it for not waking up the thousand times that I tried." Damyen's posture slacked slightly, a physical sign of her shyness to hide a blush. "And for trying to wrap me into it," she pouted, which wasn't really pouting because Damyen never really pouted.

"What do you mean 'wrap you into it'?"

What? Amadi didn't know? Well, she wouldn't be the one to explain it to her friend. At least, not until she gained the courage, which as she had previously told Jack, wouldn't ever happen. "If you don't know, then forget it. Just hurry up and get out there or you won't get whatever present they got." Damyen turned to walk back out the door.

"Free stuff," Amadi asked. She raised an eyebrow and followed her comrade outside and into the common room. "Free stuff?!"

"Not if you don't shut the hell up," Damyen not-so-politely explained.

"Ms. Damyen, would you like what we got?" Deli smiled.

"Why?" Knowing the over-the-top-polite girl, it was warning to watch the language once more.

Amadi smiled. Who know such a nice and polite girl could be so...evil and controlling...and manipulative? The list could go on forever, but Amadi didn't have the time nor the vocabulary for it.

"Well lil misses, and gentlemen, Deli decided to get ya all matching outfits."

"And some different pieces to choose from so you can match those big metal things you drive around all the time!"

"Mechs, sis, mechs." River told her.

"I know that, River," she said in a teasing voice.

"Matching outfits though?" River questioned. "Really?"

"They were having a sale and there was one outfit in everyone's style," she told him. Half off sales were too good to pass up, and some things were even almost one hundred percent off. There was no way she was going to let that pass without buying something of use. Or an entire garage of somethings.

Amadi's eyes sparkled. "Where's me and Dai-chan's stuffs," she asked excitedly.

Warren rolled his eyes and then looked around. "Where's Jack," he asked to no one in particular.

Damyen smirked wildly, green eyes sparkling.

Amadi looked up at Damyen. "Dai-chan? What did you do?"

"Don't you remember?" She started laughing maniacally.

Amadi blinked. "No?"

She giggled evilly. "Don't worry."

Amadi shivered. That laugh was never a good thing. She took up a stern position and asked, "What did you do?"

"Me? I wouldn't do anything bad," Damyen teased.

"Did you finally get rid of him?" River asked with glee. She shot him a small glare.

"Dai-chan! I told you not to kill him while I was asleep!"

"Who says I killed him?"

"Then what did you do?!"

"Would you knock off the shouting," Jack said in the doorway. He was only wearing his boxers.

Amadi couldn't hold in her laughter and she fell on the floor, literally rofl-ing. Warren let out a few quiet chuckles.

Damyen couldn't contain her smile. "Hey there, JackASS," she greeted. This was good payback. It was next to killing him. "Nice outfit you got this morning,' she pointed out, admiring her drawing capabilities. She had snuck into his bedroom after finding a permanent marker and her little muse in the back of her head inspired her to have a midnight drawing session. And his body was perfect for drawing little animals, words, and feminine designs. She couldn't be more happy with the art.

Jack looked down at the drawings and muttered a bitch under his breath before leaving. The shower could be heard turned on and Amadi knew that it wouldn't be off for a long time.

Damyen barged inside the bathroom for a split second to tell Jack, "I hear permanent marker is a bitch to get off," she laughed before leaving. It would be days before that stuff would even start to fade. And this was only the beginning.

"Dammit Damyen," Jack shouted from the shower.

Amadi stood up and wiped the tears of joy from her eyes. "That was amazing Dai-chan."

"It was pretty funny," Warren admitted.

River gained a new admiration for her. For now on, he would respect her more than ever. He was laughing too hard to admit that, though. "Thanks, Pinky. And it ain't done yet," she smirked, holding up a pair of Jack's pants she had washed with different dyes, staining them forever. No amount of stain remover or bleach would get it out. She had also taken the privilege of adding "JackASS" to the butt. "I did this to many of his clothes." And there were more ideas on the way.

Amadi began to laugh again. Things just kept getting better and better.

"Now," she glanced around the group, "anyone here want to share some of the payback with me?"

River raised his hand. "Always. Iceman won't be so rude to me," he joined Damyen's side.

"River," Deli gasped. "When did you get so violent?"

"It's not violence. It's self defense."

"I think...I'm stayin' outta this one, lil miss," Ren back out of the circle.

"Just suggestions are welcome, as well," Damyen offered, but Ren still declined.

"Count me out," Amadi said.

Warren stood next to Amadi. "He doesn't need another reason to dislike me."

"Warren?" River pouted his lips. "But he was so mean to both of us...I thought maybe..."

"Sorry Riv. I love you, but I'm not as stupid as I seem."

Amadi let out a chuckle. Either decision is stupid for you Warren, she thought.

"B-but...baby," River lightly grabbed the front of Warren's shirt. "Doesn't it bother you how mean he is to me?" He froze for a moment. "Wait...did you say you love me?"

"If I say yes and choose not to fight with my brother, will you be mad?" Warren answered carefully.

Amadi looked at him. Maybe he isn't that stupid.

"You...love me?" River gently asked, ignoring the fact that he was doing something private and personal in front of everyone, minus Jack. Deli kept her mouth shut.

Warren looked away and blushed. Just say yes you stupid oaf, Amadi thought.

"War?" River was going to be sad if he didn't get an answer. Nothing hurt more than being left without confirmation of love.

Warren looked back down at River. Such a cute kid, he thought. "Y-yeah. I do."

River's heart skipped a beat. He couldn't believe it. Was Warren telling the truth? "Say it again," the boy pleaded, turning red for the first time in awhile.

"B-but I already said it...twice!"

"I haven't heard it yet." He tried to be taller standing on the tips of his toes.

"I..." He looked around. It seemed like everyone was watching him.

Deli grabbed Ren's arm and walked away, mumbling something about more presents. "Guess I'll see ya all later," Ren waved.

Amadi watched the drama unfold. This was a fangirl's dream come true. Real life yaoi!

"We got some new clothes to try on and some parts to rummage through," Damyen said, dragging Amadi by the arm.

"Dai-chan! Real life yaoi!"

"Shh," she whispered. "Watch from around the corner." No one would know they were still there.

"Oh, okay." She willingly walked behind the corner and poked her head around the corner.

"River, I do love you."

If this were a teen drama, River would have fainted. Or leaned in and kissed Warren. He did neither. "I...love you, too," he sheepishly returned, shyly smiling. "Um...do you...want to do something soon..or later.." He rocked back and forth on his toes. "I can cook dinner for you...if you want."

Ha, taught you well, Damyen thought, grinning to herself. River was quite the actor. And proud of it, too.

_So cute_, Amadi thought.

"That bitch," Jack mumbled down the hall. He stopped taking a shower and figured he would get payback and oh did he think of a good plan right away.

"Shit," Damyen mumbled, speeding past the main area without being seen and tackling Jack to the ground, sliding back into the hall. "Don't ruin it," she whispered through gritted teeth.

"Ah, Damyen. I didn't know you cared," he said with a smile.

"Do you want me to punch your face in?" She lifted it to show she wasn't bluffing.

"Oh, please do. That will give Amadi another reason to hate you."

"Your such a masochist," Damyen sighed, wishing he would just shut the hell up now.

"You are the sadist to my masochist," he said in a sing song voice. He just had to piss her off enough to hit him and Amadi would be mad at the girl forever.

"Would you rather me sex you up instead? Maybe that will damage your unmanly manhood." That was an offer she would never play out. Not even in her head would it be okay to fool around with this bastard.

"Sure," he shrugged. "Should we tell Ai-chan about our little adventure when we're done?"

She growled. "Shut up you stupid whore. No one even thinks about having fun with you. Maybe you should be more attractive...and turn female. Than I might think about it, slut."

"Should I let Amadi know that you admitted to being a lesbian." He faked a gasp. "Would she even want to look at you after she hears about that?"

Her hand sealed his mouth. "Shut your fucking mouth about that. And besides, you of all people should know what being homosexual is like around here. Who was it you bullied last time?" Damyen glanced away before glaring him down. "Oh yeah, a fucking pre-teen named River. And the one before that was your own brother. What would Amadi do if she knew what you did in detail? I bet you would be kicked out in a heartbeat." Jack obviously underestimated how much leeway she had under her belt.

Jack licked her hand hoping that the act might make her move it.

Damyen only pushed harder. "Death by suffocation maybe?"

"What are you doing Dai-chan," Amadi asked calmly behind her. "Warren and River are gone. I think they said something about the book you gave them and sudying. Why are you on top of Jack like that?"

Damyen rolled off, laughing awkwardly. "He was going to ruin the real life yaoi moment for you," she white lied.

Amadi looked to Jack to see if he would give the same answer.

Jack looked up and smiled at Damyen.

"He didn't want to ruin anything for you, but he still wanted to go through. He feels really bad...don't ya Jack?" She forced a smile while looking at him. Any wrong answer and she would be sure to kill him, Amadi or no.

Jack shrugged. "That about sums it up. Next time, I might not be so sorry though. They should have moments like those in their room, not out in the open."

"Next time i see them, I'll tell them that," Amadi said with a smile. "I'm glad you two are starting to get along."

"If only you knew Ai-chan," Jack said. He pat her on the head and then went to his room.

Damyen shook her head at Amadi and walked passed her to follow Jack. She quickly caught up with him and matched his pace. "What was that about?" She asked confused.

"Don't worry, I'll get my payback," he said with a smug smile. He went into his room and shut the door in Damyen's face.

That wasn't a good act to do. Damyen grabbed the power drill and drilled a hole into Jack's door. "I thought you might need some airflow," she smirked, shouting over the drill.

"Drill too many holes and I'll just move in with Amadi," he shouted.

"Be. My. Guest." Damyen had many plans in mind.

"Damyen," Amadi shouted. She had her ears covered by her hands. "Why are you drilling into Jack's room? I thought we had to try on the clothes Deli and Ren got us?"

"Doing some redecorating! Jack wanted some airflow so it would be colder at night," Damyen said with a smile, drilling two more large holes into the door.

"Ai-chan, can you get this pest to leave me alone?"

"Let's go Dai-chan."

"To where?" She turned her head to the side, holding the power tool, drill side toward the ceiling.

"To try on our new clothes. You can pick on Jack later, when I'm not around."

That was a big thing to give permission for. Damyen knowingly smirked, setting the power tool down and sprinting over to Amadi. "Alright. I can do that," she sang. Oh, the plans for a day without Amadi immediately started to compute inside her tricky mind. Jack would be in trouble, worse than he already was.

"Let's watch movie in the theater room," Amadi shouted excitedly.

"I thought you wanted to try on the new clothes?" Damyen quirked an eyebrow.

"Yeah! We'll do that and then watch a movie!"

"Right..." Damyen grabbed her new items and left for her room. She liked them already. And upon entering her room, she immediately put them on, surprised that they fit her perfectly. It was almost like they were customized for her.

Amadi picked up her things and hopped to her room. She slipped the clothes on and was happy with the new look.

Damyen came out of her room, seeming a bit more content than usual. She was extremely happy with the new outfit. Oh, this would quickly become a common look. "Amadi!" She yelled. "Get the fuck out here and pick a movie, will ya?" Leave it to them to keep the movie collection separate from the actual movie room.

Amadi sprinted down the hall. "What do you wanna watch Dai-chan?"

"You wanted to have movie time. Your choice," she answered, hands on her hips.

"How about..." Amadi took a second to think. "How about The Proposal?!"

"Never seen it. But I don't really care."

"Wait!!! I got a better one!" Amadi turned to the stacks of movies and pulled one out of the bottom causing a tower films to fall over and crash to the ground. "We'll watch the Boondock Saints! It's the perfect mix of violence, cussing, and comedy."

"Whatever you say," Damyen waved her hand in the air.

"Yippee," Amadi cheered as she tossed her arms in the air. She sprinted to the movie room and popped the DVD into the player.

Damyen stretched out on one of the couches, hoping the movie wasn't dead boring.

Amadi ran and jumped onto the couch, landing right next to Damyen. She had seen the Boondock Saints before and she was sure that her friend would enjoy it. The previews began to play and Amadi scooped up the remote and fast-forwarded to the title screen. Before they had a chance to watch it, something in Amadi's pocket began to ring. _I was searching everywhere suddenly I saw you there and my love arrived just in the nick of time, _it sang. Amadi blushed madly and answered it before it could continue. "Who wants what," Amadi yelled.

"Amadi," a voice said questionably.

"This is she..."

"It's Robert."

Amadi groaned. "Robert?"

"Rachel's brother, genius."

Amadi jumped up and turned to Damyen. "Sorry Dai-chan, something came up," she said hurriedly. She left the theatre and sprinted to her room. This phone call required solitude.


	11. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Amadi bolted to her room, not even stopping to peek in through Warren and River's open door. She closed her door, locked it and shoved as much furniture and mech parts as she could in front of it. She sighed and flopped down on her bed. "What's up?"

"Did I call at a bad time?"

"No," Amadi lied.

"Really? It sounds like you're out of breath. Were you on a hot date?" His tone picked up when he said that last part.

"What are you going on about," Amadi said nervously.

"Who's the lucky girl," he asked excitedly.

"Who said it was a girl," Amadi asked defensively. Even though he couldn't see it, she hid her blush behind her hand.

"You can't fool me. A gay guy can always tell when someone else is gay, bi or straight, no matter what gender the subject is."

Amadi scoffed. "Liar. You're just hyper observant."

"That may be, but I know plenty of other gay guys that can do that."

"Whatever. Why'd you call me anyway?"

"I was wondering if you could come visit."

"No," Amadi answered.

"I can taste the venom," Robert joked. "Seriously though, I need to talk with you. Meet me at the Devil's Nest tonight at nine. Feel free to bring your girlfriend," he added joyously before he hung up.

Amadi face burned bright red and she mumbled, "She's not my girlfriend." She closed the phone and tossed it onto her bedside table. She stood up and moved the things she put in front of her door back to their original positions, unlocked her door and peeked outside. All was silent in the halls. The question for her was, would she really invite Damyen? Would Damyen even say 'yes'?

Amadi sighed and looked back at her clock. She had an hour or so to kill before she left. Just enough time for her to find Damyen, chicken out of asking her to come, leave, find her again and ask her to come with, get rejected, get over said rejection and meet Robert at the Devil's Nest five minutes late. Yeah, that was the plan.

Damyen busied herself updating Red and Black, and working a little on getting River's put together. Mostly working on River's. It made it all the more obvious something was wrong. Jadeline quietly entered, examining the new mech, still in bits and pieces. "This all scrap?" She asked.

"No use buying a brand new mech," Damyen answered, never stopping work. "Mine's about as tweaked as I can get it, and I bet Riv's off playing innocent, so I thought, hey, why not start it. Nothing else to do around here."

"What about the-"

Damyen stopped her. "It didn't. Something more important came up and she up and left."

"Do you know why?"

"Like hell. If I knew, I wouldn't be doing this right now, would I?"

"Guess not," Deli smiled. "So, anything you need extra hands for?"

The red head slipped out, glancing up at the girl. "What?"

"Well, no one should have to build something this big alone." She offered her hand. Damyen brushed it off, sitting up on her own.

"Oi, are you serious?" Deli nodded. Damyen had to seriously consider it for a moment. It wasn't that impossible alone, and this girl was new enough to know nothing. This could be interesting. "What the hell," she mumbled to herself. "Grab that piece of metal. You an artist?"

"Um, a little designing here and there."

"Good. Draw that," Damyen pointed to a loose piece of paper. River had sketched it out to put on his mech, brand it as his, "and make sure that it is perfect. Can you do that?"

Deli grinned, grabbing all the necessary items. "Can I do that, you're funny," she commented satirically.

Damyen smiled, a little laugh escaping. Perhaps this would prove to be more interesting than she initially thought.

Amadi stumbled around the corner of the maintenance room and saw Deli drawing on a piece of metal and Damyen working on River's mech. She took in a deep breath and held it in for a moment before releasing it. She happily skipped up to Damyen. "Hi Dai-chan," she said cheerfully. "I was just wondering," she drawled. Maybe I should wait for her to be less busy, she thought.

Deli's ears shot up while she continued drawing an exact replica of the drawing on a big chunk of metal.

Damyen, on the other hand, being the revenger she loved to be, continued shaving little metal pieces to fit somewhere on the gigantic machine. "I see the phone call made you overly cheerful," she said cold and distant.

"I thought she was always that smiley," Deli cut in.

Damyen lifted her goggles, leaving them on her head. She glared at her friend before walking over to start molding a new piece to shape. "No," she stated nice and sharp. There was a halt in her molding. For a good cause, she believed. Amadi had to learn not to leave her with something that wasn't her idea in the first place. She calmly strode over to Deli's station, criticizing the art so far. Side to side, it was indeed an exact replica, even blown up about twice the size, down to every last sketching detail. "Damn girl. I've underestimated you."

Deli grinned, steady hand engraving the pencil markings. "When I'm given a task, I do it perfect, ma'am."

"No need for titles, Deli. Just try to get it done before him and Pinky come through here, 'right?"

"Will do!"

Damyen pushed past Amadi. "Get to work or leave," she ordered, quickly getting back to work. Anything to get her mind off of the pain twisting in her stomach.

Shot down and she didn't even get to ask. She turned around and blurted out, "You're such a jerk Dai-chan!" She ran to her room to hide her blush and tears.

Deli immediately stopped. "What did you do to the poor girl?"

"I didn't do anything. Just told her either get to work or leave the work room."

"Damyen," she said in a wondering tone. "At least go figure out what she was happy about."

"This is more important." Only because she didn't want to go face her friend. Every time she thought about staring her in the eyes, the pain increased. Deli noticed the crease between her eyebrows.

"Dames," Deli placed a warm hand on the mechanic's shoulder. "Just go. I'll help you finish that up later."

Damyen looked down in shame, shaking her head. "Whatever." And she left, a knowing smile plastered on Deli's face.

It was tough to walk down the hallway, taking the necessary twists and turns to follow Amadi's path. "Moko-chan!" She screamed out with all her breath, echoing throughout the entire building and twenty states over. "Come here or I'll leave and never come back!"

Amadi dashed out of her room and stood in front of Damyen, after drying her tears of course. If she didn't respond then she would never get to ask her friend. "Don't leave," she cried. "I'm here!"

Damyen's hands sat on her hips. "Uh...," Damyen hid a slight hint of blush. "What the hell did you want?" She would give anything to show affection for the girl. If only she didn't believe it would be more than anyone should know. Another pang in her stomach. Ignore it. That was her mantra, arms crossed over her chest.

"I'm going to the Devil's Nest later, do you want to come," she asked plainly. Now, that wasn't as hard as she thought, but the waiting for an answer, however long or short, seemed like centuries.

The Devil's Nest. Damyen groaned. She wasn't a fan of that place. She wasn't one to go out anyway. But could she live with turning down Amadi? "That's all? You want me to come to some...stupid place with you?" Her heart raced. Only her mind stuttered. On the outside, everything seemed normal. "Is there a reason?" She said a little more calmly, a softer voice no one had heard before, including herself.

"I have to meet someone there, but I really don't want to go alone," she whined.

"Let me get this straight," a slight pause as Damyen walked closer to Amadi, "You want me to go with you, just so you can meet a friend? No way. I never do well as a third wheel, let alone a second." The fright hit her, heart pumping because she didn't want to be left alone, replaced by this "someone" once they arrived. And she wouldn't be able to leave without Amadi unless Amadi's "someone" was willing to escort her home.

"Why not," Amadi whined. "You know I can't go to the Devil's Nest without you! All those creepy, slimeballs. Not to mention my anger problem. Dai-chan, the world will end if you don't come with me," Amadi said seriously.

"Yeah, and you can't come home without me, either...I don't see the point in joining you if I am going to be ditched. You know the universe will end when my real anger problems arise," Damyen said in return. She didn't think it should be this frustrating to tag along somewhere.

"But Dai-chan," Amadi cried. "I don't wanna go alone...Dante's out of town and she left her lover in charge." Amadi paused and made a face like she was thinking. "The greedy, womanizer one."

Damyen sneered and growled and mumbled. "Fine...But the moment you walk off without me, I am gone and you'll never see me again." She wouldn't trust Dante's lover with anyone. Damyen had to be there to keep him in line.

"Yay," Amadi cheered. She threw her arms in the air and nearly tackled Damyen with the hug she gave her.

Damyen quickly stepped back, wide-eyed and a little nervous. She quickly turned away, hiding a small child like blush. "Whatever...Just tell me when we need to leave."

"Um...we need to be there at five past nine." Things hadn't gone as Amadi had planned, but she'd be damned if she actually got there on time.

"Five past nine?" Damyen quirked an eyebrow.

"See I had this plan earlier, but things didn't go like that, but I wanted to keep that part of it," Amadi explained quickly.

Damyen stood up, gripping Amadi's neck with her hand. "Explain or I'm staying," she demanded, not wanting to run around in circles with the girl. There was only so much she could take.

"Don't worry about it Dai-chan," Amadi said calmingly. "It was my plan for asking you to come along. I didn't plan on making you mad is all. "

"Tsk," she released Amadi, resuming her metal work. "Whatever. Don't expect much guarding from me."

Amadi smiled and sang an "Okay!"

"Whatever," she mumbled. "Hey, Deli," Damyen called out.

"Yeah?"

"You almost done there?"

"Already finished."

"That's a good girl," she smiled. This was in hopes Amadi would get jealous and apologize for everything at some point. Apologize for what exactly though, Damyen didn't know.

Amadi turned around. "I'm gonna go get ready. I'll see you in a little bit Dai-chan." She gave her comrade a small, fake smile and ran to her room. How come Damyen was being so nice to Deli all of a sudden? Oh well, it didn't matter. Dai-chan was Amadi's best friend, not Deli's.

There wasn't much time to do much on the mech before leaving, so Damyen stopped and went to her room to get prepared. "See ya Deli."

"I'll be here and working," the girl saluted with a grin.

Amadi tossed off her dirty clothes and threw them into the steadily groing pile. She put on something that looked like a boy's school uniform except it was gray with red lining all the edges. Over this, she wore her new coat. It wasn't fashionable, but Amadi wanted to wear her new coat and something that Robert would be able to recognize her in.

In a short amount of time, Damyen had taken a quick shower and put on the newly cleaned outfit she had been given awhile ago but never wore. She slipped into the pair of black jean short-shorts and a red tank top with short sleeves hugging the side of her arm. She zipped up her knee-high leather boots and called it good. It would be a chance to get let off some steam if anyone tried to mess with her in that outfit. She could take anyone wearing this. "Amadi!" Damyen screamed, clicking out of her room and down the hall.

River whistled. "Damn, what's the occasion?"

"Going out." She called the girl's name again.

"I'm coming. I'm coming," Amadi shouted back. She ran out of her room and stopped in her tracks when she saw Damyen. Her jaw dropped and she tried to form words. "D-d-d-d-d-dai-chan! Why are you wearing that? You're just asking for a guy to rape you," she whined. Girl's too, she added in her mind.

Damyen grinned, laughing to her heart's content. She bent over, laughing until she cried. "I," she couldn't finish. It took her a moment to recover, wiping her eyes. "I'm hoping someone will want to try," she stated directly. "What do you think? Do I look good?" She spun around once.

Amadi blushed and turned away. "Sure, whatever." This kind of thing was bad for her health. If Damyen does anything the wrong way then she might lose it.

"Let's go then. Bye Riv," Damyen waved, becoming a different person entirely.

"Hope you have a good time," the boy winked. She nodded, and headed off to her mech. She hopped in and waited for Amadi's cue.

Amadi hopped into her mech. "Alright, let's get this over with." If I stay out too long with Dai-chan when she looks like that...it will be bad, Amadi told herself.

Damyen got comfortable in the seat and followed Amadi to The Devil's Nest. "Who are you meeting exactly," she asked over video chat.

"A sibling of an old student slash friend of mine," Amadi said. She felt she had to be very vague.

"Fuck, another sibling friend of yours? Please tell me he isn't as bad as Warren and Jack," she pleaded. "I'm not taking another trainee."

"Don't worry. He is way different than Warren and Jack...But he might ask about Jack a lot so maybe you shouldn't talk to him so much." Amadi thought for a moment then sighed. "On second thought, you will hate him."

"Will he let me beat him up then? I wanna show off my new style," Damyen smirked. She was sure everyone might appreciate that in some form or another.

"No," Amadi said. "I think he'll like you...he's gay by the way."

"Until he sees this outfit, I bet," she challenged. She clasped her hands together, cooing. "Oh, this is going to be so entertaining," she ominously grinned.

"Trust me, he's not going to be interested. He already has a boyfriend." Amadi blushed when she thought about it. "Maybe it's more of an unrequited love," she mused.

"If it's Jack," she giggled. Giggled? That wasn't right. Damyen wasn't supposed to giggle. "Is it JackASS?"

Amadi rubbed the back of her head. It wasn't sore right now, but she was expecting a smack eventually. "Yeah...heheh...it is."

Damyen laughed her heart out, forcing herself to not fall over in the seat. "I knew it!" The girl cried out. She ended up falling out of her chair anyway, still laughing.

"Stop laughing, Dai-chan," Amadi whined. "Robert's really got it bad~! It's not funny!"

She tried to make a full sentence, but she just couldn't. "It's...too funny!"

"Dai-chan," Amadi cried. "Please stop. Robert is a really nice guy. Frankly, I don't know why he even likes Jack."

"Whoo," Damyen gasped, situating herself back into the seat. "Does...Does Jack know this?" She wiped joyous tears away from her eyes.

Amadi sighed. "He does...and he uses and manipulates him with it. The scary part is that Robert acts like he doesn't know."

"Hey, Moko-chan? Would you kill me if I had an idea?" Damyen smirked, narrowing her eyes mischievously.

"No," Amadi answered warily. "But I might hurt you if it isn't a good one."

"You would be involved," she answered in a less-than-normal tone, trying to persuade as best as she could.

"I realize this, now what is your plan?"

"Call Jack up, say you are in danger and I can't help you. He'll be here in no time, but when he arrives...BAM! There's little Robert waiting for him. We can help 'em hook up!" She was giggling like a fan girl.

Amadi widened her eyes in surprise. "That's actually a really good idea. I'll call him right now!"

Amadi dialed Jack's number on her normal cell phone and waited for him to pick up. "Hello," he asked. Amadi picked up the hint of worry in his voice.

She silently cleared her throat and began her act. "Jack," she nearly screamed. "I need your help! Dai-chan and I got separated when somebody surprise attacked up." She did a small manouver to make her mech shake and partially disrupt the signal. "Ja**, **lp! I'm stu** **er th* *evil's ****!"

"Where," Jack asked. It sounded like he was getting clothes on and preparing to leave.

Amadi stabilized her mech and resisted the laughter that was bubbling up inside. "The Devil's Nest." She played a sound effect she had preloaded onto her mech that made it sound like she had been hit and screamed before hanging up. "That should do it," she smiled happily.

Damyen laughed even harder. Once they arrived, she stumbled out of her mech, using the leg of her mech to keep from falling down. She fell anyway. These things were just inevitable.

Amadi jumped out of her mech with a smile of her face. "I'm glad you're having fun with this. Let's go before he gets here and catches us."

Damyen jumped up, landing perfectly on her heels. She used her friend to walk, wobbling like a drunk. "Moko-chan, he will freak once he sees us and Robert. I'll kill him if he hurts anyone," she made that point clear.

"I know...don't make me start to feel guilty."

"I don't feel guilty." Damyen kicked her leg high into the air, accidentally knocking the door in. "Oops..."

"Oops my foot," Amadi sighed. "You're already drunk and you haven't even had any alcohol yet."

"Moko-chan," she side-hugged Amadi, continuing to walk forward, "I'm not drunk. People will just notice me if I bring attention to myself, and seeing as I want people to see this outfit..." Her hand trailed down Amadi's side, "Unless you are already jealous."

Amadi blushed and looked the other way. "Why would I be jealous?"

"Alright then. Have fun with your friend!" She left to peruse the crowd of people, scanning for anyone who was thinking the slightest bit of challenging her. After all that talk of not being left alone, she went off anyway. She wasn't fooling anyone, though, saying it was because she wanted to. It was only to prevent herself from being left alone. When Robert was found, at least Damyen would have someone else to...talk to, keep her company.

Amadi didn't even try to find Robert. She wouldn't have been able to recognize him anyway. A guy in a bar...not an easy find when you were in a bar full of guys.

"Amadi," she heard someone shout.

She looked around and saw boy about four years younger than her over at the bar. Amadi shook her head. He was easier to recognize than she thought. She walked over and saw the beer in his hand. "Don't drink that crap. It's bad for your health."

"As usual you say nothing about me being underage."

"Nobody cares about that kind of thing. Why did you want to see me anyway?"

"There's going to be a memorial put up soon."

"So what," Amadi said. She crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"Sis' name is gonna be on it."

Amadi sat down and took his beer. "So?"

"Don't so me! I want you to be there."

"No," she said simply as she took a swig.

There was a rather loud crash heard on the other side of the bar, glasses smashing and tables being knocked over. Damyen was kicking the crap out of some random guy who had thought it kind to make his move physically rather than with crappy pick-up lines. "Don't mess with me," she whispered into his ear. Her heel dug into the man's waist.

"Fuckin' ow! I get the point," the stranger cried uncle. It was her quick victory.

"Great, good to see we are on the same page."

"Damy?" A small hesitant voice said her name. She turned from her punishment to see a younger girl tackle her to the ground.

Damyen couldn't see before she hit the ground hard. She quickly immobilized the girl and pinned her down to the ground. Feral golden eyes and bouncy dark blue ringlets. "Oh my god...Chartile!" Damyen stood up, helping her old mate to stand as well.

"How long's it been?" Chartile gave Damyen a big hug, strong for a little thing.

"I visited...Where've you been?"

"Drinkin, obviously," she raised a bottle. "So what about Akiko?"

Damyen audibly swallowed. "Um...yeah, yeah, not much. Uh, you know, same mystery," she answered, now hoping it would be time to leave soon.

"I heard he died," Chartile continued without noticing the change.

"Um," Damyen nervously glanced around the crowd. She made up something to keep conversation going, a diversion to think of a getaway plan. Many would have worked if Amadi wasn't there.

"Come on Amadi. You were Rachel's teacher and she basically worshipped you," Robert said in a whiny tone. His eyes shined in all their purple glory, just like his sister's had. Things like that really got to Amadi.

"I already told you that I'm not going. If you remember what happened then...you know I wasn't a very good teacher." She looked away, not wanting the tears that were threatening to fall escape.

"Are you kidding? You're one of the best pilots and you are a teacher of the same caliber. I thought you were dead until Jack brought you back around. You were so different." He looked over at Amadi's orange-haired companion. "You've become more like you old self since Damyen came along, right?"

Amadi blushed. "Don't get me wrong. I haven't forgotten-"

"I know. Rachel is hard to replace, but I'm happy to see your heart is healing."

Amadi blushed again and childishly punched Robert's shoulder. "Shut up, you mind reading pixie."

"I'm not reading your mind, you're just that predictable." Robert dodged a punch that was not so playfully aimed at his face.

The bar's door slammed open and a blue haired man ran up to the counter. "Damn it Amadi! What the hell was that fake call about?"

* * *

A/N: And we'll stop there. Don't worry there is plenty more to come. Keep reading and reviews make us work harder *hint hint*!


	12. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Amadi smiled and counted in her head. 3...2...1...

"Jackie," Robert squealed as he glomped his love. "How have you been, baby?"

"I'm not your baby," Jack growled. "Amadi...you are being punished for this later."

"But it was so worth it...and Dai-chan won't let you." Amadi looked over at her friend. "Right Dai-chan?"

Damyen looked up and kindly excused herself, Chartile following along like a lost puppy. "What's going on now?" She laid her elbow on Amadi's shoulder, noticing Jack immediately. "JackASS, sweetie!" She went and glomped Jack next, lifting her leg up around his waist.

Robert growled. He was very possessive even though jack wasn't even his boyfriend. "Back off bitch," he growled demonically. "He's mine."

"I am not yours Robert and Damyen...GET THE HELL OFF!"

Amadi was kind of enjoying this. Not so much the part where Damyen was hugging Jack, but it was pretty fun to watch nonetheless.

Damyen crawled over to Amadi, trying to see what would happen if she put her leg around the girl's waist. "Moko-chan," she childishly pouted, "He doesn't like me," she whined, staring at her pretty face from the side, tightening her leg around Amadi's waist even more. Chartile silently protested off behind Robert.

Amadi resisted screaming her head off, but couldn't help the blush that covered most of her face. This was not fun; It was dangerous!

Robert smiled knowingly and mouthed a 'Good luck' before giving her a thumbs up. He turned his attention back to his 'ice queen' and snuggling into his neck.

"I told you to get off of me," Jack said to Robert. "Damyen, get off of her."

That only provoked her more. Damyen's arms wrapped around Amadi's neck as she nestled her head into it. "But I came here with her," Damyen protested.

Amadi froze. Too close, they were way too close. Her face was officially as red as red could get. Brighter than crimson lights and tomatoes combined. _This girl is going to kill me_, she thought.

Robert happily mimicked the other girl's movements with Jack. He wanted the attention to fall on him, not Amadi. Jack nearly nuzzled back unconsciously but kept control of himself. _This guy is going to kill me_, he thought.

Oh, the competition was on, though Damyen wasn't doing that just to win. She actually meant all the actions she was doing. It was she wanted to do. Damyen slowly switched legs, sliding her right leg down Amadi's side and sliding the left leg up and around. "Moko-chan," she whispered, drawing small circles on Amadi's palm, the other hand twisting in the strands of violet. "Can we go home now? I have a deadline for River, and you _know_ how I like to _play_," she knowingly teased. Her lips slightly touched the outside of the girl's ear. "Please?" She was barely audible.

Amadi thought her head was going to explode. Those things Damyen said...did she really mean them. Amadi thought about it, but it couldn't be. This wasn't really. She was just acting this way because it was fun for her. A pained look found it's way to her face as the red disappeared. It hurt. Damyen wasn't serious at all. She was just messing around, playing with her emotions. She couldn't let this get to her. She had to be happy. Things went better when she was happy, but...who could smile when the felt like this.

"Dai-chan," she said quietly as she lifted her head to look her friend in her eyes. She tried to hold back the tears, but there were too many and a few fell.

The orange haired girl dropped her feet to the floor and released Amadi from her grasp. The on-lookers glanced away every now and then, all wondering how this challenge would end. Damyen knew from the girl's eyes that it was time to stop. It had gone too far. Perhaps she hadn't been clear enough before now about her feelings. Only Jack really understood. "There Jack. I'm off." She suddenly felt open and exposed for everyone to see, emotions being expressed outright, and yet wrong.

She made a quick trip to get a large jacket from her loyal Red and Black. She zipped it up, making it look like she only had a long jacket on. She nervously swished her legs back and forth, rocking on the heels of her boots. This was bad. She was too dangerous for her own good, and the thought of being too much for anyone to handle put her back to the days of the past. As if Chartile wasn't enough. Her blue haired mystery popping out from who-knows where just didn't seem like enough of a punishment. No, she had to be punished for her actions.

Her face fell, embarrassment hiding on the inside. Chartile pulled her aside. "Look, it seems things are getting pretty tense here, so I'll leave. Seeing as they don't know me and all."

Damyen glanced over to the forlorn Amadi. "Are ya sure? We didn't do much catching up."

"Damy, I know you. You think that no one can read you, but I have the advantage. Your Akiko presence shows. It appears that you have an apology to give, and I certainly won't be the one to get in the way of it."

Damyen dipped her head. "I suppose. I don't do much apo-" She didn't finish the word, not able to say it. She wasn't one for that.

"Apologizing," Chartile spelled out. "It's funny. You used to know that word, and what it meant." Chartile hugged her childhood friend, giving her a peck on the cheek. "I'll find ya later, Damy."

"Yeah. Nice to see you." Chartile smiled and headed for the doorway, seeing as there currently wasn't a door, due to Damyen. "You still owe me, bitch! Don't ya fucking forget!" She yelled with a grin.

"That's my girl!" Chartile screamed, walking backwards out of the Devil's Nest, throwing a kiss and a wink in the red-head's direction.

Damyen returned to the group. "So, uh..this is your friend? Bet he hates me now," Damyen whispered soft enough so that only Amadi could hear. There was nothing teasing in her voice anymore. Things were safe again. She didn't need an answer though. First impressions hopefully weren't everything for him. "Damyen's my name. I see you've met JackASS," Damyen introduced, back to her appreciated old self. "And you already know Moko-chan," she hoped it wasn't out of bounds to use the nickname still.

Amadi recovered quickly and almost shouted in jealousy when the other girl hugged Damyen...almost.

"I don't hate you," Robert said happily. "I do think you are a little rough on her though. I hope you aren't like that all the time," he winked.

Amadi blushed. Robert was ruthless and she didn't always understand what he was saying, but she understood what he just said.

Damyen shot him a glare, sharing it with Jack at the same time. "Shut the fuck up, newbie," she demanded Robert. "I didn't know my sweet little Jacky here had a boyfriend, though. After all of that protesting, too." She slowly took three steps forward, standing in Jack's range. It was safe, thanks to Robert. "I bet he doesn't know," her head pointed to Robert. "Are you just a free for all, or are you just a cold hearted asshole? Which one?"

From her point of view, Jack was leading the poor boy on for nothing. It was taking advantage until he received an answer from Amadi, or whoever else he had on his list of loves he had yet to confess.

"He's not my boyfriend," Jack growled. "And I know what you're thinking...I don't lead him on, anymore," he added quietly. He tried to push the younger boy off, but he was much stronger than he looked.

"It's not his fault he has the body of a god," Robert scoffed.

Damyen got into another laughing fit. "Have you seen him lately? He's a little...outta shape," She stated.

Jack sent a glare her way.

Robert quirked an eyebrow. "I didn't say which god," he smiled.

She looked him up and down, grinning. "I like your style, Rot."

"Rot? I prefer Rob, but with someone like you, it won't change, will it," he sighed.

"Damn, feel honored, man. You only get a nickname if I approve of you." Obviously it was insult to insult her nicknames.

Rob sighed again. "Well it's a start." He looked up at Jack and back at Amadi. "Amadi," he cried. "Can I come live with you? I want to spend more quality time with my Jackie baby."

"That's fine with me," Amadi said. Maybe Jack would spend more time with him and less time aggravating Damyen.

"Will I be allowed to tease Jack about it?" She was waiting to get hit for that comment. "I wouldn't be able to live without reminding him every day of how brilliant the Iceman is. Riv will be glad to help, as well."

"As long as it is either funny or I'm not around," Amadi agreed.

Damyen gave Amadi a small hug. "Yay! He can live with us, but only if he can stay in Jack's room."

Amadi and Robert smiled at each other. "Of course," they said together.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Jack growled sarcastically.

"Then let's get back so I can finish the mech for River," Damyen cheered, throwing a fist up in the air. Well, she wasn't quite back to normal. There was a little too much pretending going on for people to actually believe she was perfectly fine. But she kind of figured that was already a given.

Amadi nodded. "This place isn't my favorite place when Dante isn't here. At least we didn't run into that greedy lover of hers." And just like that, she came into contact with the law. Murphy's law to be exact. Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. And of course she had the bad luck of mentioning it meaning it was bound to happen for good now.

Amadi felt something brush against her butt and jumped a mile high. "Dai-chan," she screamed when she landed back onto earth.

"Well, if it isn't my two favorite girl's. Amadi, you ass has gotten firmer, have you been working out," he winked.

"You womanizing bastard!"

Damyen roughly grabbed his hand. "Hands off the ass, you fucking cunt," she bravely glared him in the eye.

The 'cunt' just smiled. "I'm sorry, did you want me to touch yours too? I can arrange that."

Damyen sarcastically laughed, an evil twist making its way to her smile. "No, and if you ever try that again, twit, I will shoot you dead. Understand, you little git?"

"You and your British insults have no effect on me, baby."

Amadi took a few steps back. _He called her baby_, she thought. _He's dead_.

Damyen tore off her jacket, most likely nearly killing the man. She struck her heel straight into his stomach. She pulled out a gun from who knows where, and pointed it at him. Of course, the others in the bar were smart to take cover. She wasn't really one to be known for a steady hand. A steady aim she could do, but it would many other things after.

"Damyen, please don't kill my boyfriend," a woman's tired voice came from the doorway. She looked hot, wearing some really kinky clothes.

"Hello Dante," Amadi greeted happily.

Dante smiled at the girl, recalling the many times Jack brought her here and then left her to fend off the creepy, drunk, old men that slunk after her. She took pride in beating up those men. "It's good to see you Amadi. You haven't changed at all, have you?"

Amadi shook her head. "Not in the least."

"Dante," Damyen drawled, the smirk growing ever still. "Would you mind restricting your bitch, or do I have permission to shoot?" Her eyes narrowed, keeping an eye on Dante, and an eye on the scum.

"You certainly do not have permission to shoot...inside this building or at my boyfriend. You know my rule. No blood inside, especially if it's my current boyfriend's."

She put her foot back on the ground. "Then I'll take this outside," Damyen gripped the collar of his shirt and got ready to drag him outside.

Dante looked at her. "The second part of the rule is NO BOYFRIEND," she reminded her.

She spun the gun around in her hand, placing it back in her outfit. Damyen sighed. "Alright, but if that ass gets near us, I swear. Rules will go fuck themselves."

Dante looked at her lover. He just smiled and shrugged. "Fine with me."

Damyen protectively grabbed Amadi, shielding her in case he tried something else she didn't approve of. "You ready, Moko-chan?" She kept an instinctive arm around her friend's waist. It was the only she could fully protect her without having anything awkward.

Amadi nodded happily. "I call riding with Robert," she screamed as she ran out of the bar.

Damyen didn't care if Jack had rolled in with his own transport. He was coming with her, no matter what. "JackASS, we need to chat. Mind coming with me? No. you don't mind? That's what I thought," she mused for him. She switched her com off and waited for Jack to say something, if he wanted to protest before they actually left the bar.

Robert let go of his love and followed Amadi out. He got here by walking so he wasn't leaving anything behind.

Jack furrowed his brow. Why him? Not only did he have to live with Robert, but now he had to ride back with Damyen. "Let's just home fast," he sighed out.

* * *

A/N: Another awkward end. God must really hate these people..oh wait, it's just us writers. Never mind. Keep reading and remember, reviews are the fuel to our fire, so let us go pyro!


	13. A Little Game of Monopoly

A/N: Okay, so we started this little side story back in December, wrote the bulk of it, forgot about it and then randomly remembered and finished it. Aren't we just the best? It's kind of like you get to see a lost chapter or something.

* * *

A Little Game of Monopoly

Warren was laying down with River on top of him just enjoying the moment alone when he heard Amadi calling them. He gently woke his lov-uhm 'friend' up with a light shake. "River. Amadi is calling us."

"What is it?" River yawned and slowly stretched out across Warren. He could stretch easier like this. River, now more awake, heard his name echo. "Oh man, why now? Doesn't she know we're busy?" The boy got onto his knees, straddling Warren's lap. "Do we have to go?" His face looked so defeated.

"If Amadi is calling us then it must be important," Warren said.

"Boys! Get your butts out here," Amadi shouted again.

River whined. He was comfortable here. Why did his "teacher" have to go and ruin the special moment? "Okay, but only because you say so." He gave a little giggle, and kissed Warren full on the lips before hopping off and slipping on his shirt, which had somehow been taken off "while he was sleeping".

Warren followed River down the hall and into the room Amadi had called them into. "What is it Amadi?"

Amadi slammed a dusty box onto the table.

"What is that?"

"We're gonna play a game," Amadi said with an evil smile. Jack was sitting next to her at the table with a bored expression on his face.

River practically shot her the death glare. "Oh, I like games," he smirked after thinking happier thoughts.

"It looks kinda...old," Ren commented upon entering the room.

"Well, yeah. I mean, we haven't had any time to play it for a while. Hey Ren, where's Damyen?"

Warren sat down and put River on his lap. If they were playing a game, they were gonna be on a team.

"I'll get her. That crazy miss is most likely hanging out with her partner." He went off, and returned a few minutes later with a semi-dirty Damyen.

"What's up?" She noticed the dusty game. "Oh no," she stated. "I think it's safer if I stay away from this." Noticing the two boys snuggled together, she may change her mind. River looked as happy as a clam.

"No~ Come on Dai-chan. We can be on a team, " she said hopefully.

"Against who? Mr. Lover boy and his dream sex?"

"Oh, it's definitely not a dream," River said matter-of-factly.

"Then you better get geared up to show me. If I'm playing, it's gotta be a bit more interesting." Damyen strode over and fell into sitting position against Amadi. "Don't you agree, Moko-chan?"

"Yup. Yup," she said with a nod. She began cleaning the dust off of the box, but it wouldn't come off. "Huh?" She rubbed it harder and only a little came off. She gave it an evil glare and threatened to dump a bucket of water on it if it didn't clean. Apparently the threat worked because after rubbing it again it all came off. She smiled and showed everyone the box.

"Monopoly," Jack said with slight disappointment. He sighed and gave her a diabolical smile. "If I remember correctly, I beat you last time we played."

"You did not beat me," Amadi growled. "It ended in a draw."

"No, I think I won.

She whipped him a death glare and Warren, being the scardy cat he is, gripped River tighter.

River hid a smirk. Damyen laughed. "I don't care how it ended last time. This time, you are the lone player. Amadi and I, River and Warren, and you."

"What about me?" Deli asked.

"And...you can be on Ren's team, right Ren?" She smiled the I'll kill you if you don't agree" smile. Immediately he agreed.

"Great! Then let's get this party started!"

"We call the cannon," Amadi shouted excitedly as she picked up the small silver piece.

"Warren, can I use the thimble," River asked as if he were a child, but his tone implied it was simply more than just asking about a board game piece. He picked up the thimble anyway before anyone else stole it.

"Since they work us like dogs, Deli, the wheel barrel would only make sense."

"That is fine with me," she agreed.

"So, JackASS, what do you think will help you beat our cannon forces, huh?" Damyen smirked.

Amadi chucked the dog at his face leaving a small red spot on his cheek. "Sorry, but there are no more pieces."

Jack growled at her and placed the piece on the board.

"Alright. Now who wants to be bank?" Damyen asked. "Anyone?"

"I'll be bank."

"You can't be bank Jack, you'll cheat! Warren! Be bank. River if you two cheat you are going to be kicked out." It was an empty threat, but it felt good to say.

"Oh, we get to be bank, too?" River twisted around to face Warren. "Thimble and money...what more could I ask for?" He smirked and gladly arranged the money into the proper places. "Don't worry. I never cheat a teacher," he told specifically to Damyen, Amadi, and of course, little Warren.

"He won't do anything against the rules. If he does, he knows what I'll do," Deli said, almost in a challenging tone. River's eyes widened.

"I promise I'll behave."

"Oh brother...there better not be something to cause another rivalry," Damyen sighed.

"Now that we've got that figured out let's get this game started! We'll go first, then River and Warren can go, then Deli and Ren and Jack will go last."

"How'd you come up with that ass backwards order," Jack scoffed.

"It's the rank of importance Jack. Damyen and I are the main characters so we go first, Warren and River are our pupils so they go second, Deli and Ren are third because they are the lackey characters and you, Jack, are last because nobody likes you," Amadi explained.

Warren let out a little chuckle and his brother gave him a quick glare. He was going to pay for that later.

River got in on the glare section. And his eyes could kill. If Jack knew what was good for him, he would pass on the laugh and not do anything about it. Ren thought for sure he heard a low growl coming from the boy. "Well," Ren interrupted before things got ugly, "then let's go."

Damyen took one die, and handed the other to Amadi. "Ready to roll?"

Amadi happily tossed the die on the board. 3.

"I think that's a yes," Jack sarcastically snickered.

Damyen rolled the other. 5. "Alright," Damyen moved the cannon eight places. "What in the world did we land on?"

"You get to pick up a chance card," Ren said non-enthusiastically.

Amadi picked up the card and read it aloud. "Advance token to the nearest railroad."

"Advance..so we get to move to this one," Damyen moved it to the railroad eight spaces ahead of where they were before. "Yeah, take that!"

"Come on Warren. Let's get a better outcome." The boy gave one to Warren and waited for the cue to roll.

"Let's do it." He let the dice fall out of his hand gently. 5.

River let his fall as well. Another five. The boy moved their thimble piece ten spaces in. "Well...it's a jail space...but there is also a 'go to jail' space...so what do we do? I hope we aren't in jail...we didn't get sent there..."

"Nope we're just visiting." Warren was about to hand the dice over to Deli when Amadi stopped him.

"What are you doing?"

"Giving them the dice for their turn?"

"Doubles go again genius," Amadi teased.

"Doubles go again?" River snickered to himself. "I think I like that rule."

"Oh no...what have you got going on in your head?" Deli asked worriedly.

"Just that doubles go again." He smiled and rolled the dice again. 2. He waited eagerly for the second dice.

"Make sure this game doesn't excite the young ones too much...I don't want a kid passing out here," Ren stated.

"Oh, he's only getting excited about...other ordeals that he connects with this game," Damyen explained with a grin.

Warren let the dice roll. 6. He moved the thimble six spaces up and landed on Indiana Avenue.

Ren and Deli tossed the dice. Together they moved 11 spaces. Nothing interesting there. "Bummer...Oh well. Guess we are just the lucky ones. "

"I like it simple, though," Deli smiled.

"I agree!" Ren returned the smile.

Jack picked up the dice and gave them a roll. A three and a one. He moved the dog piece up four spaces and landed on the income tax space.

Amadi began to laugh. "You're having a bit of a bad start Jack."

He growled lightly and gave the bank its damn money.

Amadi picked up the dice and handed one to Damyen. "Our turn," she sang.

Damyen rolled a 2. "Looks like he's the lucky one," she grinned.

Amadi also rolled a two, landing them on New York Avenue and another turn. She rolled the dice again and it was a six.

Damyen regretted her roll. 5. Ren laughed and River exhaled a squeak. "I can't believe that! You have to go to jail now!" Damyen growled, but nonetheless moved the cannon to the jail space.

"Can't this damn cannon just blow up the cell so we can escape?"

"That would be more realistic, but it's against the rules."

"Damn..."

"Let's go!" River happily rolled a 3.

Warren rolled a five and moved the piece onto the community chest. He picked up the card and read, "You inherit one hundred dollars."

River grinned wide. "Yay! I like getting money. We're rich Warren, we're rich!" River turned his head and kissed Warren on the lips. "Mmm...my sugardaddy," he said happily.

Ren and Deli together rolled three.

Jack picked up the dice and rolled a four and a two. He moved the piece and landed in the jail, just visiting of course.

"Hmm...what should we do? Try our luck and roll...or give up all our money for bail?"

"I don't think you guys have much luck right now," Ren said.

"Go for doubles," Deli disagreed.

"Oh, but I'm sure Jack loves visiting his two girls," River commented. He would die for that one.

"Say that one more time and I will kill you, Warren's protection or not," Damyen threatened through gritted teeth.

"Amadi wouldn't let you do that," Warren cried hugging River closer.

Amadi innocently asked, "What? I'm sorry, I didn't hear you." Which is code for I will not help you.

Jack snickered as his brother's demise, as well as the little brat's, neared.

River clung to Warren for dear life. More for the value then actually in need of protection. Damyen smirked when the kid stayed silent. "Let's try for doubles," she demanded, rolling a 5.

"Okay." Amadi rolled her die and it landed on...4.

"DAMMIT!" Damyen almost punched the board. "Fine, we pass," she growled.

"Looks like Jack gets to visit his girls a bit longer," River whispered.

"I heard that you little brat!" Damyen lunged over to the boy. He was going to die. She was going to kill him.

Warren pulled him back. Even though he was scared of Damyen, he loved River more. "Let's roll River." He rolled one of the die. 1.

River couldn't help the grin when he rolled a 1. There was the doubles Damyen had been aiming for.

"How come you guys keep getting doubles?"

"We're just lucky I guess," Warren answered.

"Sorry," River said in a sing-song voice. He rolled a 6.

"Stupid brat," Damyen muttered.

Warren let the die fall from his hand. 6. "No way..."

"Friggin' hell! They got doubles again." Amadi was about to pull the hair out of her head.

"Sorry," River said moving the piece 12 spaces. Park Place. (I think that is what the thing says...) "We don't do it on purpose," he whined. Really, no one could get mad at sheer luck. "One more time." He rolled a 1.

Warren let the die fall from his hand one more time. It was...

A one.

Amadi broke out in laughter. "Now you guys are in jail too."

Damyen's face lit up with joy. "Now JackASS can visit his favorite boys in jail. Don't get raped, little boy."

River growled. "I'm too youthful to get raped." He turned his attention to Warren. "But I don't want to be in jail!" He cried, pulling on Warren's shirt.

"It'll only be for a little while."

"It's scary. And-and-and she might hurt me," River pointed to Damyen.

"Wha? Me? Why would I hurt you, you little brat?"

Meanwhile, ignoring the fight, Ren and Deli took their turn. They both rolled 3's. "Hmm...doubles. Weird."

"Maybe the dice are cursed?"

"No, no, Deli. Curses aren't real, and besides, this is luck. Luck is not a curse."

"It is when someone wants to murder you over it," she whispered, suggesting that Damyen would kill anyone who got doubles.

They rolled again and moved to the nearby railroad. 3 and 2. Closer to doubles was better than getting doubles.

Jack picked up the dice and rolled. He got doubles as well and moved ten spaces. He rolled a second time and moved three spaces forward, landing on nothing interesting.

"I will KILL you ALL!" Damyen rolled the dice with more force than necessary, rolling out a three.

Amadi rolled a two. Things were not looking good for them.

"No!" Damyen glared at the next pair. "If you two get doubles, I am killing both of you."

"No worries. They prob'ly used all their luck up already," Ren waved it off.

Continuing on, River smiled, holding onto Warren's finger like a baby and rolled a 5.

Warren smiled back. It was wiped off his face when he saw Amadi's glare after he, too, rolled a five.

Damyen once again charged after the innocent boy. "How DARE you steal MY doubles!" River's eyes teared up.

Amadi grabbed Damyen to prevent her from killing. "Run! Get out while you can," she shouted to the lovers.

Warren picked River up and carried him princess style all the way to their room.

"NO! Let me at 'em!" River heard Damyen scream.

"She's going to kill us," River whispered. Good thing he could act like the innocent child he wasn't. His eyes teared up and he wrapped his arms around Warren's neck. "S-she...she scared me."

"She scares everyone...except maybe Amadi."

"No way," Amadi shouted from outside. "She scares me too!"

Warren gulped. "I thought you weren't afraid of anything."

"First of all, I'm not and second of all, she is a person not a thing."

"Oh!' Damyen growled. "I could be both, just watch how pissed you make me!"

Deli gasped. "Please watch your language. My little brother does not need to hear such foul words."

"Better watch it girl!" She hissed. Deli visibly shrank back.

"Seriously guys. There is no need to get all angry," Ren tried to calm them down.

"Not. Gonna. Happen." Damyen's harsh glare was directed at Deli. Ren was quick to shield her in his arms.

"Damyen. Do I need to arrange an anger management class for you," Jack asked with a sigh. He was rubbing his temples. These idiots gave him such a headache.

"Hell no, and no one asked you to butt in, JackASS!" She sat back down at least. "I've seen the movie. No way am I gonna be paired up with whackos. I got my own whackos here I need to deal with!"

"I could be your councilor," Deli suggested.

"What?" Damyen whispered in a deadly tone.

"They all scare me," River whispered to Warren.

Warren just nodded. "But at least Damyen's calmed down."

Amadi took her seat inbetween Damyen and Jack trying not to start a war. "Let's just continue the game. Who's turn is it?"

Ren almost laughed at the entire situation. "Um..hate to say this, but, it's the double pair's turn. War, I suggest rooting for something other than doubles."

"I thought you said it was luck," Deli quietly asked her partner.

"Not when someone is gonna get killed," he replied using her own words back at her.

"It is our turn," River gasped in delight.

Warren rolled the dice and got doubles. He sweatdropped and leaned away from the table.

Amadi growled in annoyance. This was beginning to get on her nerves. "In the immortal words of Dane Cook, 'Fuck this game!'," she shouted.

Riv clung tight to his lover. Who could tell if it was out of love or deadly fear? "I think we should get ready to run," the boy whispered.

Damyen growled loud enough for everyone to hear. Why would such a little thing as losing to a board game piss her off? No, it was her pride. She was losing to a thirteen year old boy. That was what made her angry about continuing. There was no point in continuing to stay in the jail if she would never get out. "Damn good idea." The pieces went flying across the room as her foot connected with the side of the board, spreading everything out over the entire floor of the area. "Fuck this game," she screamed before walking off to find something else besides the death of her pride to focus on.

"Oh my," Deli appropriately gasped. "I guess this means that she forfeits."

"Should someone go after her," Ren politely asked, not wanting things to go to shit now. It was mostly aimed at Amadi, the only one who could ever seem to knock some sense into the anger.

Amadi blinked and ran after Damyen. It had nothing to do with what Ren said, but she knew that there would be shooting and destruction in Damyen's future and she wanted to be part of it. At least, she did as long as it wasn't aimed at her.

Ironically enough, Damyen had headed off to their shooting range, grabbing her gun, loaded with real bullets, and started shooting everything.

Amadi pulled out her gun as well making sure to pull out more bullets for when she ran out. She started shooting after she put on some headphones that were blaring music.

Jack sighed and left the 'playroom'. There was reason for him to stay there.

Warren picked River up. His first sign of being the older person in the couple. "Shall we go back to our room River," he asked sweetly, although he wasn't really giving the boy a choice. Then again, he already knew what the answer was going to be.

River blushed. "Of course."

Deli smiled, not caring the least bit as to what they would be up to. It was time for her to return to work now that she had a place in the shop.

Ren followed after her, needing to finish a couple of small things before heading off to the old man's shop.


	14. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Damyen led him to her beloved and gave him the cue to climb in.

Jack shuffled into the mech and squeezed behind the seat. "What did you want to talk about?"

"If I say anything, will you promise to keep it the fuck away from everyone else? Whatever is said here and now is only between you and I. Can you live with that?"

"I get it. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas."

She would take that as a good enough answer. Jack would be likely to not make a better one. "I know I am apologizing to the wrong person, but I was outta line with Amadi. And I was wrong to have her make a fake emergency call just so Robert could see you."

"I already hated you before that call so I can't hate you more, and yeah, I'd say you went a little far with her," he spat sarcastically.

"Ugh...stop with the sarcasm for once," Damyen screamed. She should have expected this before suggesting a chat, but it was still a little annoying that he didn't even try to make this important. "Answer me this, Jack. If you had one chance and one chance only, who would you want by your death bed?"

"What are you talking about? My death bed will only come if you kill me. I wouldn't exactly have a choice on who would be by my side," Jack said, trying his best to avoid the subject.

"That's not a fucking answer, unless you are saying that you would want me by your side, in which case I would have to beat you until you are the normal JackASS we know." There was no way he would actually want Damyen to sit by him while he died. She wouldn't take that for an honest answer. "Just tell me the truth, and I'll do anything."

Jack turned away and sat so that he was directly behind her. This way she couldn't see him. "If I had my say...I would have everybody there. Everybody currently living with us I mean. Amadi is like a sister to me. I may hit on her, but that's mostly because it pisses you off," he said with a smirk. "Warren wouldn't be able to stay away. We do have our moments. Although River is not my favorite child, he is a good match for my brother and he won't be torn away from Warren's side no matter what happens. You won't stay away from Amadi and she'll kill whoever gets in her way. Robert..." Jack drifted off into thought. "He'll be Robert, glomping me to death faster."

It still wasn't what she was looking for, but it was good enough. Her head dipped down, hair covering her eyes. A light giggle shook her shoulders. At least, that's what she would tell anyone if they asked. Funny how he could be such an ass, and then talk about caring for people...in a roundabout way, of course. But it confused her a bit. Wouldn't he want to have a confession alone with someone? There wasn't a point in having everyone there while he died.

It would be easier to have no one there. Damyen wouldn't want to have the urge to confess anything, or cry, and whatever else she would embarrass herself with in her dying moment. Having everyone there seemed like it would be too much of a burden...

Damyen stopped thinking before things got out of hand. With all the ghosts returning to her world, she would be better off without thought, mindless and wandering. "Funny thing is...I bet that's the truth," she muttered.

"Wouldn't you want every one there to comfort you while you go," Jack asked. It was rare for them to be like this so he was asking the questions that he could.

She shook her head. "Fuck no." It would be too hard. "Why would you want everyone there?"

"They'll greave together. None of them will feel lonely. You won't be depressed at all. Robert and Amadi will deal with it by talking with each other. River will cure my brother with...ugh, I don't even want to know how," he said, his brain rolling into the gutter. "I want the last thing I see to be every one that means something to me, not just one person." He thought about her reply for a second. "Don't you want Amadi to be the last one you see?"

"No," she answered too quickly, shaking her head one time. "I wouldn't want to see anyone." She forced the tears to stay hidden.

"How do you think Amadi would feel about that?" He was silent for a moment, then he smirked. "You know that anything you said you'd do earlier?"

Her head shot up. Damn her for giving him that kind of power. She cleared her throat, knowing that this would be poison. "Please don't make me be sappy...," she pleaded.

"I can't promise that. It all depends on you." That evil smirk returned to his face. "You have to tell Amadi how you feel about her."

"Fuck. No." Damyen would rather die than say the truth to Amadi. "Something else. _Anything_ else."

Jack popped up from behind the seat and made the tsk, tsk, tsk noise while wagging his finger back and forth. "I told you what I want." He looked down and saw the look on Damyen's face. "I guess you don't have to tell her now. Take your time, just make sure you do it before you die."

"Oh, that's reassuring," she commented. "What if I have an unexpected death and never tell her? What will you do then?" From this day on, she would promise herself that she would die without notice so it wouldn't be her fault she never had the chance to confess.

"I'll tell Amadi."

Panic spread across her face. "Are you batshit?"

Jack gave her an expression that mixed confusion and amusement. "No, I'm not. You're insane for not telling her."

"So I'm bloody fucking insane. That's nothing new. I won't tell her, even when I am young and on my death bed." Because there was no way she was dying old. She was too reckless to live past thirty. "It's not like she'd actually take me seriously. Or understand unless I spell it out, and I'd be mad to do that."

"What are you, British all of a sudden?"

"D'ya want me to be British," she faked a believable accent.

"No, I want you to tell Amadi that you love her because it's just getting painful watching you two interact," Jack said matter-of-factly.

She blushed from anger. "It's not the fucking time, Jack."

"Like I said earlier, you don't have to do it now. Just do it before you die...or you will regret it," Jack threatened. "Preferably before something bad happens to Amadi as well. There's something about her that attracts bad luck whenever she is happy. And I don't mean stepping on a crack. I'm talking about the real deal." 'Somebody dies,' was left unsaid, but the tension and aggravation radiating off of Jack was enough of a message.

The emotion was a bit overkill for Damyen. She knew how it went. Amadi wasn't the only one bad luck followed around. "If I tell her, and she's happy..." Of course, the obvious outcome hung in the air. Jack had just said it after all. There would be tragedy involved that no one would be able to handle. "I just can't," she sighed, wanting to return to work. Anything was better than thinking about what could happen once the truth came out.

"Are you satisfied with her being unhappy? What if something unexpected happens," he mused. "Do you think she could really handle something like that happening to her again?"

"Like what? What unexpected thing do you expect to happen?" She could only see the troublesome sides of confessing. And there were plenty of other things to keep Amadi happy without Damyen having to express her feelings.

"I don't know. That's the thing about the future. You never know what it holds." Jack faked a gasp. "What if she dies before you tell her?"

"That's what I'm hoping," Damyen said, adding a hint of sarcasm.

"But what if she's sad and can't move on? What if she haunts you as a ghost forever?"

"I'm fine with that. How else would I be able to keep control?"

"What if she comes back as a dead sexy half naked ghost," Jack asked with a chuckle.

"It wouldn't matter. I would still need her to keep me in control. She's the only reason I haven't murdered anyone yet." Damyen specified Jack without having to spell it out for him.

"So, if she somehow made herself into a solid form when she was drop dead sexy and half naked and called your name, you wouldn't lose control?"

"Nope," she said completely calm and emotionless. That kind of thing wouldn't bother her in the least.

"Oh," Jack chuckled. He pulled a picture out of his pocket. It was a picture of Amadi he had a friend Photoshop. It was perfect down to every last pixel and impossible to tell the difference between real and fake. "Not even if she looked like this?" He held the picture in front of Damyen and giddily awaited her response to the photo. Maybe, if he was lucky, she might have nosebleed.

"Possibly if it was a real picture of her. But seeing as it is not really her, I can't give you a positive answer." Either he had forgotten that her eyesight was better than most, or he never knew. This was a direct challenge.

Jack pouted. "That's not a very fun reaction at all."

"Because I can tell the difference between shit and the real thing? Apparently you haven't seen Amadi well enough to know that." Oh yeah, that would definitely make her a bitch. Was it so bad that she knew what Amadi really looked like?

"So you've already gotten that far with her," Jack said with an amused look. "But you haven't told her how you felt? Who's the slut now?"

"No, you ass! Stop being such a fucking male. She's my best friend. Of course you would know that we've dressed in front of each other plenty of times." It could be a lie, or it could have been a truth. At this point, she didn't care what she fed the boy as long as he knew not to get the wrong idea.

"So have you guys taken showers together?" He was just having fun with her now.

"What's it to you if we have?" Well, that was part truth. There was the time before and everything with nightmares and such, but he still hadn't heard about that lovely incident.

Jack made an 'o' with his mouth. "So if you do all that, but don't sleep together, why don't you just tell her? Then you can just sleep together. Maybe you'll have a happily ever after," he lied. Those kinds of things never happened in real life.

"Are you stupid? The whole point is to make the relationship less awkward. We would never be able to do any of that once I told her. Happily ever after my ass."

"How do you know she'll reject you? Maybe she'll say yes." Jack couldn't believe himself. Why was he encouraging this? Oh yea. It was because of Amadi. He wanted her to be happy and only Damyen could do that. But he'd rather suffer through the worst tortures before he told Damyen outright that Amadi already loved her.

"Just shut up already. You have no fucking clue what it would ruin. Seeing as you don't seem to have one trustworthy person to live for. Only your fucking little bastard self." Sure, it was harsh, but it was in words anyone would understand. He didn't have the right to tell her it was alright, unless he had already experienced the confession himself and ended up losing the best friend he would always need. Jack didn't have anyone like that, and Damyen didn't think he would ever need someone like that.

"Oh, but I do have only one trustworthy person to live for. She's already rejected me though. You still have a chance."

"Oh really? Who would that be, some stupid hooker bitch?" There was no way he could understand. Damyen couldn't get it in her head that Jack was a person, with feelings and a life to live. Of course it was entirely possible that he had friends, she just wasn't one to imagine it.

"It was Amadi," he told her. No sense in keeping it a secret, not that is was one.

Her face fell. Amadi was no late-night hooker bitch. "You're really that close to her?" She suddenly felt bad for saying all those things about who Jack had by his side that was important.

"Yup. I've known her a lot longer than you have, which reminds me. Don't poke her past too much. You'll make her sad." Jack advised. The sooner they got together, the sooner he could get on with his life. He decided to help her get her love when she turned him down. After all, what kind of friend would he be if he didn't support her; No matter how bitchy the girl she liked was.

"I've gathered that, ass. I'm not oblivious. I stay away from her past, she's supposed to stay away from mine. It's a universal agreement." That was another thing that would soon change. When one thing comes out, everything has to. And reliving those days was worse than being brutally tortured before a slow and painful death. "Do I really have to?"

"Yes. You're the one who said 'anything'. You only have yourself to blame."

"But I didn't really mean it." She really had to learn to keep her mouth shut sometimes.

"But you said it anyway, so too bad, so sad. Tough luck. It sucks to be you and all that jazz."

"You're just an ass." She turned her back and decided to work on the first thing that caught her eye. It was some little detail she had been wanting to place somewhere on Amadi's mech. Remembering that it was supposed to go there made her stop. She would have to leave Amadi's mech alone. Damyen would have to rewrite her entire list of things to do, so nothing had Amadi written into it. Her life sucked now.

Amadi tossed Robert into her mech and hopped in herself. "Come on! I want to beat Dai-chan home."

"Why," Robert asked as he held on for dear life as the mech took off.

Amadi shrugged. "No clue. I just feel like it."

The first few minutes of the ride were silent. Robert couldn't take it any longer. He snaked around her seat and looked her straight in the eyes. He stared for a full minute before Amadi finally said, "What?"

"You really love her, huh?"

Amadi blushed furiously. "W-w-w-w-what are you talking about? We're just good friends."

Robert smiled knowingly. "You want to be more than that right?"

"No. I just want to stay by her side, so.."

Robert quirked an eyebrow. "So what?"

"So...conversation over."

"Nu-uh," Robert shook his head. "Conversation to be continued, but right now I have to tell you something important." His eyes burnt with seriousness.

Amadi watched him for a hint of immaturity in him, but in that instant he liked a mature man, like he normally should. "What is it?"

"We need to pick up my son."

Amadi lost control of her mech for a moment in pure shock. "What?"

Robert sighed. "Relax. He's not really my kid. I picked him up of the streets and formally adopted him a few months ago."

"Oh," she said as she regained control of her mech. "So how old is he? five? Six?"

"Thirteen," Rob answered happily.

"That is not a kid Robert," Amadi shouted. "Are you crazy? Picking a teenager up off the streets...that's just so..."

"What? That's how Jack found you."

"No. Jack found me on the battlefield. That's different," Amadi pouted.

"Don't worry. You'll love him. He's really cute sometimes."

"Sometimes," Amadi questioned.

"Well, he is a teenager."

Amadi sighed. Looks like there will be another addition to the house hold. This family of hers was turning out to be quite strange indeed. "Where is he?"

Robert thought hard for a second. "I don't know," he answered with a smile.

"What," Amadi growled dangerously.

"Well, he always wanders off so I just keep tabs on him."

"What a great father you are," Amadi said sarcastically.

"Well, sorry. I don't have that much experience being a dad."

"Then why did you adopt him?"

"I couldn't just leave him alone on the street. He gave me these angelic eyes, you'll see when you meet him."

"Which will be when?"

"I'll call him on his cell."

"You gave him a cell phone?"

"How else would I keep track of him?"

Amadi growled. "Make the phone call quick.

Rob dialed the number and waited for him to pick up. No answer.

"He's a teen right," Amadi asked.

Robert quirked an eyebrow. "Yeah?"

"Text him. He'll reply like that," Amadi snapped her fingers to show her point.

"I'll try." He sent a text asking where he was. "I don't think he-" Bing. He opened his phone and read aloud. 'Busy.'

'Well, I need to talk to you. Why aren't you answering my calls?'

'I never do.'

'Fine. I'm coming to pick you up. Where are you?'

'None of your business. Piss off.'

"He sounds like an angel," Amadi scoffed.

"He's really not all that bad. He's probably having a bad day."

"Give me the damn phone. I have no patience for teens." Amadi ripped the phone from his hands and started texting, 'Listen you little brat! I've had a really bad fucking day so if you don't tell me where the hell you are right fucking now, I'm going to track you down and squash you like a bug.' Sent.

It was a few minutes until they got a reply. 'Who the hell are you?'

'Amadi. Now tell me where the fuck you are'

'I don't know an Amadi.'

'But your dad does. You and Rob are moving in with me and my freaky family so tell me where you are or so help me...I won't go into specifics.'

There was a minute before they got another response. 'Where do you live?'

'A place. Now tell me where the hell you are!'

'No. I'll come to you guys.'

"Fine," Amadi shouted at the phone. She punched in her house's address (cough coordinates cough*) and hit the send button.

There was no reply so Amadi assumed the boy got it. "Happy now. You're son is going to be moving in with us. What's his name?"

"It's a secret," Robert said with a wink.

"It won't be a secret when Dai-chan finds out. She's going to kill you."

"Won't you protect me?"

"Nope."


	15. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Amadi landed her mech smoothly for a change and tossed Robert out. "Just to let you know, if Dai-chan doesn't kill you, I'm going to." She jumped out and landed on top of Robert "Stupid bastard...adopting a kid and then moving in with us," Amadi mumbled.

"That hurts you know," Robert yelled at her.

"You deserve it," she yelled back.

"Text your damn kid and ask him when he's going to get here. I need to know how long I have to prepare to tell Dai-chan."

"Um..." Robert pointed to a short, dark-haired boy. He looked a lot like River...except darker. He had more of the emo look going for him. "That's him."

"Hey dad," he called over casually. His blue eyes looked Amadi up and down. "You must be Amadi."

"Yup," Amadi answered plainly. "And you are..."

"My name is Matt. No last name, just Matt."

Amadi nodded. "Okay, Matt, no last name, just Matt. You will be living here therefore you will be living under our rules."

"Who is this 'our'," he asked smoothly.

Damyen loudly stepped in, boots hitting the floor nice and clear. She had finished up the conversation with Jack just as she got near Amadi. The red-head lost expression, not wanting to appear in the least bit nervous.

She noticed the new kid, and Robert hanging out next to Amadi, as well as Black and Red, who seemed to be complaining rather repeatedly. She could hear the mech groan. Either he was annoyed at so many people on the trip home, or it was another bad landing.

"Shit," Damyen whispered. "How many fucking times do I have to tell you not to bring any goddamn uninvited guests over?" Her voice roared with fury. "Who is this fucking brat anyway?"

"The name's Matt, not brat," the kid shouted at her.

"He's Robert's _adopted_ son," Amadi added, stressing the adopted part.

"And you thought it would be such a great idea to bring them here?" She was shouting by the end of the rhetorical question. "What the fuck are you thinking Amadi," Damyen grabbed the collar of Amadi's shirt.

"Don't look at me! It's Robert's fault!"

"You brought them here, Moko-chan," her voice low and deadly.

"I only brought Robert," Amadi corrected. "And you were fine with that. Matt got here all on his own...though I had to give him the coordinates," she added in a quieter tone.

"We're not a goddamn fucking babysitters club, Amadi!" Damyen roughly let her go, pushing her back in the process. "It's this shit that I put up with you that makes it so fucking hard to live here sometimes!"

"And I have to deal with your attitude so I guess we're even," Amadi shouted at her. She stomped away, any happiness she had inside was gone.

Damyen growled, a murderous expression coloring her face. "You're here, now you two listen to me. You will not be staying here tonight, so best enjoy this day as well as you can. Don't touch a damn thing, or I'll fucking kill you. Do absolutely anything that I don't approve of, I'll fucking kill you," she explained the rules to Robert and Matt. "Basically," she began to summarize, "I'll fucking kill you."

"So it really doesn't matter what we do then because you are going to kill us," Matt asked sarcastically. He smirked. "I'm gonna go make Amadi feel better then.

Damyen grabbed the boy's shoulder, holding him steady. No one was able to escape from her deadly grasp, not even a thirteen year old boy. "Not so fast there, little boy. You ain't going near her, that's the general rule here. And again, disobey, and I'll kill you. Same for you, Rob. No one, and I mean absolutely fucking no one is allowed to go near Amadi."

Matt shrugged. "You have clearly stated that you're going to kill us so I'll clearly state that it doesn't matter. Is that Amadi chick your girlfriend?"

"Absolutely fucking not," Damyen stared coldly at the boy. "Now, if you would please get the fuck out of my house?"

"If she's not your girlfriend then don't be so angry at her. You like her, but you push her away. She'll hate you if you keep doing that." Matt smiled cheerfully. "It's also not your house so I refuse to do anything you tell me."

"Matt," Robert said with a stern voice. "Respect your elders."

Matt looked over at his adoptive father. "I respect you enough not to run off and get killed. I'm not going to respect a bitch who made the girl she likes cry. I have no respect for people like her."

Damyen easily grew frustrated. "You have no fucking idea what is going on between her and I, so shut up. And as a matter of fact, I do own this place, my name is even on the deed. Just stay in this area. I'll know if you touch anything," she warned both of them with equal attitude.

She left them behind, not caring why Amadi had decided to bring them here. They had to deal with one ass as it was, adding one more was asking for it. Damyen hopped into Red and Black, just to sit and have a little conversation with Ren. She called up Mecha Rush, and the old man answered. "Girly! Long time! Has my idiot son been lax again?"

"Of course not, Oh Decrepit one. Though, I would like to have a short conversation with him, in private," she remembered to specify. The last time she didn't specify, it was one awkward conversation for gramps to be eavesdropping in on.

"What's up, li'l lady?" Ren appeared on the screen. The old man went away.

Damyen heaved a sigh, frustration making it all the way to her eyes. "Ren, I've fucked up."

"Again? Who did you not bury this time? Are ya dealin' with those of'cers again?"

The red head shook her head. "Unfortunately, no. I wish it were that easy."

"Amadi, huh?" She nodded. "Well...not sure what to tell ya, there, miss. She's a though one to crack, no matter how long ya've known 'er." He gave her a small smile. "Though, I'm sure she'll cool off by tomorrow. How big?"

"I told her basically that I couldn't put up with her shit. I'm hoping she didn't take it too seriously, seeing as she's used to putting up with that kind of shit from me all the time...It's just...everytime she comes home, there's someone else tagging along. And they end up staying, and soon there will be too many people..."

"Whoa, slow down, lil' girl. No probs, 'kay?" He waved his hand in front of the camera to get her to stop. "Now listen," he said, facing the camera perfectly. "Do you want my whole-hearted opinion, or would you prefer the excuse?"

"What's the opinion?" Why did it always have to be multiple choice?

"My opinion, jealousy is making you so ugly, and not even you can recognize yourself."

"And the bullshit?"

Ren laughed. "You want to try living alone? Didn't really have time to think of a good one."

"Any suggestions then?" He humbly shook his head. "I almost made her cry...I did make her cry."

"I say apologize now, and wait. Patience. Is. ," he emphasized the last four words individually.

That forced Damyen to chuckle. "Yeah, we know how that works..."

"Yo, I gotta get back to work, but jus' call if things don't work out?"

"Yeah...sure." The video chat went offline. She took a moment to breathe, taking the time to relax first before going and ripping her hearted apology out.

Amadi stomped down the hall and passed through the main lounge. Warren was sitting on the couch with River on his lap. "Hey Amadi. Welcome back. How'd things go?"

Amadi growled and a dark aura surrounded her. "It went swell," she spat sarcastically. "Can't you tell by how fucking happy I am?"

Warren gulped and hugged River. "Why don't you just go to your room and calm down?"

Amadi turned and stalked out of the room. "I'll calm down your ass," she muttered. It didn't make sense and she knew it, but that kind of thing didn't matter. Amadi had been so selfish in letting Rob live here. Damyen was barely fine with that. She wouldn't have let Matt move in if he wasn't Rob's son...well, adopted son. She couldn't just let him abandon a previously abandoned child. It just wouldn't have been fair. To top it all off, Matt turned out to be a brat. Definitely a smart ass too. He reminded her of someone...a certain blue-haired twin.

Upon reaching her room, Amadi promptly slammed the door shut with a loud bang. Being a girl sucked. Being a girl in love with your best friend who also happened to be a girl sucked even more.

Damyen cautiously approached the door, feeling calm enough not to let her emotions run wild. She knocked. "A-Amad..." Damyen trailed off before finishing. Maybe it wasn't the best idea to talk to her right now. So she thought it best to wait for an answer.

Amadi curled up on her bed. She wasn't going to get up. She had just fallen asleep and she wasn't scared of her dreams for a change. Maybe tonight she would be able to get a full nights sleep. It was decided. She would not budge from the spot she was in for anything. Even if the world was ending.

She had expected not to get an answer, but it the expected outcome was still a huge disappointment. Now she was left with a choice. Should she behave, or due what Damyen would do? Be Damyen, or don't be Damyen?

Damyen would be lying to everyone if she didn't do something that was in her nature. So she knocked a little louder and opened the door. Good thing Amadi hadn't locked it. "Amadi?" Damyen called to her friend.

"Hm," Amadi asked sleepily. She snuggled into her fluffy, black pillow.

It was time to be a little un-Damyen like. She sat on the bed next to Amadi. "Moko-chan..." She threaded her fingers through the loose purple strands, sighing and feeling more content then she had the past few hours.

"Hm," Amadi asked again, this time a little agitated.

"I'm so..." Damyen swallowed. "I'm sorry," she genuinely apologized, continuing to run her fingers through Amadi's hair. "It's just all unexpected, and I've been told it's jealousy...I don't quite understand that...But...I'm sorry."

Amadi looked up at Damyen. "Who are you and what have you done with Dai-chan," she asked with a straight face.

"That Damyen has pissed you off plenty of times, so she decided to hide away until you weren't so mad," the red-head explained without a hint of sarcasm. She was definitely gone.

Amadi stared at her with a serious look for a few minutes. "You're not going to become a new person are you?"

"If it makes things better," Damyen sighed.

"I don't like that idea," Amadi said sharply.

"But I make you cry," Damyen replied.

"So...call me a masochist or whatever you want. I like the Damyen that gets mad more than any other one that could exist. I know this Damyen. I understand her a little. I don't want to understand anyone else, not even another Damyen. All I need is Dai-chan."

Damyen's eyes widened, and she had to stop her mouth from dropping. If that wasn't some kind of confession, she didn't know what was. It was sweet and kind, perhaps the best thing she had heard since Akiko reminded her how proud he was to have her as a pupil.

But she hadn't really needed kind things. Hearing compliments without any baggage added was rare, and hearing one now really didn't help the matters. Of course, she would always be the Damyen Amadi knew, as long as it was a welcome character.

Emotions running wild, controlling her every move, that was part of the Damyen everyone understood. It was something she didn't particular understand, nor cared to.

The girl forced her hand to sit in her lap, despite how light it felt falling between her fingertips. She knew there was more to this situation she didn't want to tell. Damn Jack forcing her into a dark abyss of frustration. It was something new to deal with, a challenge she had yet to take. And Damyen never let a new challenge go.

Currently, she was busy ignoring how incredibly beautiful Amadi looked laying next to her. She didn't have a discreet plan on how to ignore the images running through her head like a teasing slide show. Oh man, that was disgusting for her to think about. The images disappeared. The nerves didn't.

"But I'm fed up with pissing you off all the time! It's really shitty when you run off and cry and don't fucking talk to anyone! I don't wanna have these fights with you. In theory, they shouldn't even be happening, but you know what everyone else says. It's always the best friends that fight, or people who secretly like each other, though I've always thought that was bullshit. I fight with everyone," and that was the sudden realization.

"...fuck...," Damyen breathed, laying on the pillow next to Amadi. "I'm a bitch. Being rude to everyone...even you...and..." Her thoughts traced back to the one time Akiko tried giving her a partner. Rynz Aeros. One of the jealous students, wanting so bad to rip young Damyen to shreds and make her into barbecued meat.

It didn't matter that they didn't get along. She still had Rynz's death on her conscious. She was responsible for the girl out in the field when it all went down, and Damyen didn't bother assisting her when she went off alone. Pride was more important then surviving for that reputation whore. It was hard thinking that being the same way would potentially lead to Amadi's death. If the fights continued to happen, Damyen would eventually not care anymore and let the girl go off in the heat of battle. Of course, she had this thought several times before.

"Damn it all," her voice wavered. She wanted so bad to cry, just pour out all the frustration and sadness she had stocked up, hiding away. "I hate this, Amadi. I fucking hate this." She put her arms over her face.

"Do you hate me too," Amadi asked sadly.

Damyen shook her head. "Why would I hate you? I thought it might be the other way around." She was still hiding under her limbs.

Amadi shook her head. "I thought that since you were always mad you didn't like me."

"I'm not always mad, Amadi. I just have a bad attitude towards things sometimes." Damyen gained the courage to sit up, hugging her knees close to her chest. "It's fucking impossible for me to be pissed at you."

"Weren't you just pissed at me," Amadi dead-panned.

Damyen stood up, forcing herself not to pace, though it was clear she wanted to her feet kept twitching. "Out of frustration! I mean, you go out and one of two things happen; one, you get lost and don't come back for days, or b) you pick someone up on the way that ends up staying here. Without a fucking warning! I'm not pissed at you. I'm pissed that I don't get any kind of caution sign before you come home!" And cue the pacing. She couldn't stay still for any longer. It was better to walk it out then yell to the girl's face.

"The lost part is probably my fault, but I can't help it if there's someone in the street in need of assistance. I'm an evil person, but I'm not cruel."

"Was that brat on the street? No, nevermind, don't answer that. I can clearly see he was well off for a person in the street. A full set of clothes, nice little fancy haircut, and nice shiny skin. Did he even have some hidden cash in his pockets?" Damyen spit out. The boy was obviously only in need of assistance because of his shitty attitude. Other than that, Damyen didn't see how he needed assistance.

"But that boy is Robert's kid. It's not my fault. Plus he needs good role models."

"Well, Robert doesn't look all that stranded to me, either."

"You agreed to let him stay though."

"Robert's fine. He's something good for Jack. Matt...not so much. I didn't know that there was another person attached when I agreed for Rob to stay." Damyen continued to walk the width of the bed.

"I didn't know either. It's Robert's fault for not telling either of us."

"He told you before you picked his kid up! You coulda called or something in warning! I don't care if you didn't know at the time, but you still knew before I did, and didn't feel it fair to tell me." She gave up and slumped down on the end of the bed.

Amadi pouted. "You just would have been mad sooner," she said childishly.

"Not as bad," she spouted honestly.

Amadi pouted again. "I guess that wasn't very fair."

Damyen blushed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Uh...n-no...it wasn't that fair...but..." She sighed and spun around to face Amadi. "I guess I can forgive you...however, if that brat keeps it up, he'll get worse than kicked out, since you want to keep him inside..." It would be much worse for Matt in this case then living out in the street. He would have to learn that soon enough. Damyen only prayed that Amadi knew the upcoming fate if the kid didn't behave to Damyen's terms.

"Yay," Amadi cheered. She jumped off her bed and happily glomped her comrade. "Thank you Dai-chan!"

Damyen made a slight noise of surprise and fell backwards onto the bed, the happy girl on top of her. "...Ugh, Moko-chan...you know I always forgive you," she looked at her dead on. It was obvious she was telling the truth.

"I know," Amadi said happily. "I'm just glad you're not killing Matt now. You going to wait for a reason and that is what is awesome about Dai-chan. Well, one of the things."

She was content with that answer. "Good…now get the hell off of me," Damyen said, but there was only shyness hiding behind her voice. It lacked the usual strength and annoyance it usually had.

"I don't want to," Amadi said with a smile. "I'm kind of comfy."

Damyen gave up now while she still had some of her pride left. "...fine. Just don't fall asleep." Her fingers twitched against soft violet hair, wanting to touch it, to know how it smelled...Damyen scrutinized herself inside for becoming s vulnerable so easily.

"But you woke me up," Amadi whined. "You owe me a nap."

She couldn't argue with that. "Alright, but not a long one...You know how I get when you nap too long."

"Angry, just like with everything else," Amadi said as she snuggled into her best friend. Comfy and warm was the best way to sleep.

Damyen silently chuckled, running her fingers through Amadi's hair. There was no point in hiding anything. After all, they were alone, and would stay that way if Damyen had anything to say about it. Emotion overcame her and she almost wanted to confess. "Amadi...I..."

"Hm," Amadi asked sleepily.

"I..." She closed her eyes. "...you're the sweetest person anyone can meet," Damyen said, swallowing the coward inside.

"You know what they say, you are what you eat and I eat a whole lot of sugar."

She couldn't resist kissing the girl's forehead. "I suppose sometimes that's true, Moko-chan."

"Are you saying I'm not sweet all the time," Amadi asked playfully.

Damyen's hand rested on Amadi's cheek. "...I...I'm saying that...it doesn't work for everyone. Take me for example," she started to laugh. "I eat chicken, but that doesn't mean that I am one." The buzzer in her head went off. It was a complete lie, and she knew it.

"So...am I sweet or not," Amadi asked. What was Damyen trying to say exactly? Sometimes she could be so confusing.

"..." Oh, to hell with her fucking pride. "Yeah, you're really sweet, Moko-chan. And I mean that," she said truthfully. "You're fucking beyond sweet, hon. You are the fucking best thing anyone could ever even wish to have...And I'm fucking amazed that I ended up with such a wonderful person who deserves so much more than what I am."

"That's because we're both broken," Amadi said simply.

"You're far from broken," Damyen started, swallowing her tears.

"Don't lie. Everyone here is broken. Everyone."

"How?" She couldn't help but push, not knowing how everyone was broken. Though, it was probably going to hit Amadi hard.

"Matt is an abandoned brat adopted by a brother who takes years to do something he should have done in weeks if not seconds who also happens to a masochist, love-sick puppy for a guy who may or may not have feelings for him because he never lets anyone into his ice cold heart just in case they might melt. Because god forbid," She paused. "He should be happy. If you have to ask why Warren is broken then you really haven't connected well with him. He's definitely uke with River, who is a kid and did I forget the pink hair. Deli's broken because that weird little seme is he younger brother." She paused again so that she could take in a breath. "Your anger makes you broken and I can rarely get a good nights sleep because of the nightmares that plague me so...any questions?"

Damyen held her tighter. "Shhh-shh," she said lovingly. "Breath, hon, breath. Those things don't necessarily make us all broken. It's just some little things that make up our personalities. We are who we are because of those quirks. But there has to be more extreme for us to be broken...unfortunately, like you and me, who have been through their fair share of mature incidents while in the stage of immaturity." She kissed her head once more. "Still though, we're just a little different. And with being broken...do you really want to be fixed?"

"I don't know," Amadi groaned. Most broken things can't be fixed, but people try to fix them anyway. It's one of those little things she always worries about in the back of her mind. Could she even be fixed?

Screw it. Damyen was going to do this, and she would regret it the second it happened. She lifted Amadi's head up and locked lips. She breathed in her taste, her smell, and loved how soft her lips were. Her heart raced, beating faster than ever before. She pulled back and stared at Amadi. "Can you be fixed?" She asked.

Amadi's face glowed a magnificent crimson. "I don't know. Are you going to try and fix me," she asked shyly.

"Umm...well," she glanced around nervously, finding that she just couldn't keep her eyes off the girl. "Do you want me to try and fix you?" Her cheeks turned a light pink.

"And here I thought you were going to be romantic and say yes with a sexy voice and seduce me into following your will." Amadi sighed. "Oh well. G'night." She rolled off of Damyen and faced the wall. Knowing that her face was still very red, and saying something that was way out of character for her didn't help, she buried her face into the blankets. Why did she have to say stuff like that?

Damyen stood up, yelling at herself for not going the cheesy, direct route. Good thing she could think of plans quickly. She kneeled onto the bed over Amadi's ear and seductively whispered, "Do you want to be seduced?" Her fingertips barely touched Amadi's hot skin. Damyen playfully nipped her ear.

Amadi shuddered. How long had she wanted her friend to be more than a friend? Who knows. "D-Dai-chan," she moaned.

"Yes," Damyen said, continuing to lightly run her fingers along her friend. "What is it, Moko-chan," she whispered even quieter, getting closer to Amadi's ear.

"That's," Amadi breathed out. "You know that I'm sensitive."

Damyen moved to her neck, lightly kissing. Even the slightest breath seemed to tickle the skin. "Of course I know. It's one of the reasons why I love you," and the words came out when she didn't even realize it. She was going to regret this later.

Amadi blushed again. "L-love? Really Dai-chan?" She looked at Damyen with sparkling eyes. "Do you mean that?"

Damyen didn't stutter or stumble. She breathed on Amadi's neck, giving it a nice little lick before saying, "How else would I mean it," she gazed up from her position.

Amadi couldn't look at her friend in the eyes. This situation, everything, it was all so...embarrassing. She was surprised she hadn't gotten dizzy and fainted. Wait! What if this was only a dream? Amadi pinched Damyen's cheek.

Damyen slid up, holding Amadi's face in her hand. "How cute," she giggled. "You don't think this can be real?"

"Just making sure it wasn't a dream. They said that pinching...uh something about pain and then dream being real," Amadi explained weakly.

Damyen returned to her previous position, kissing Amadi's chest. "You are so adorable, Moko-chan."

"Are you sure we should be doing this? What if somebody walks in?" Amadi's fears began to surface. No matter what it was, she was always afraid of something.

"I locked the door already. It's fine." A grin played at her lips and she continued further down, placing a kiss on Amadi's stomach, her hands running over her hips. "Your skin's so soft," Damyen breathed.

Amadi arched her back and moaned in response. "You planned this...didn't you?"

Damyen slid even further down, resting her lips on Amadi's right upper thigh. "What else would I plan?"

"A vacation, like a normal person would."

"Silly girl," Damyen lowly chuckled. She pushed apart Amadi's legs, placing her head inbetween. "Though I would be more than happy to take you somewhere you've never been," the red-head smirked, breathing just enough to where Amadi would shake and shiver with anticipation.

Just as Damyen wanted, Amadi shivered with anticipation and shook with pleasure. This was finally happening. She was finally getting something she really, really wanted. She had never wanted something this much.

Damyen smiled before her hands wandered up to assist Amadi in getting her clothes off.

Her eyes fluttered closed and open in quick succession, but what she awoke to horrified her. It was a regular ceiling she found herself staring at, lazily zoning as the ceiling fan whooped around and around. Her cheeks were hot as hell, redder than her hair.

She audibly gasped. It wasn't easy to get her breath back from a realistic dream like that. The girl immediately felt around in case there was anyone else around.

Amadi gasped and opened her eyes. She stared at the wall for a moment until she felt the arm beneath her move. ...Arm? She turned around and saw Damyen. Her thoughts immediately to the dream she just had. She shot up with a blush across her face and a sharp 'Eep!'. Could they really have done all that? No, impossible, she still had her clothes on, but how far did they go. Did Damyen really say I love you?

Damyen crawled to the opposite side, currently too shocked to properly speak. She was still clothed, but then again, even after something like that, she would get dressed again. Amadi seemed just as shocked, maybe worse. Nothing could have happened, right? She would never say something so important so easily. It was impossible for her to admit she loved Amadi. At least, in that kind of situation anyway.

She finally caught her breath, staring at Amadi with wide eyes. "How was...your nap?" Damyen swallowed, her voice almost squeaking by the last spoken word.

Amadi turned around stiffly like a robot would and in a mechanical voice said, "My nap was fine. How was yours?"

"Good…I guess...I'm not sure if I actually slept or not..." Damyen scratched her head nervously.

Amadi shook her head and returned to her normally abnormal self. "Me either. I had a really strange dream...but it seemed so real," she hinted lightly.

Damyen nodded once. "Uh-huh...there was...well, you were in it, and-and, I was too...but..." She couldn't explain the dream to Amadi, let alone herself. "I was me, but I wasn't me..."

"Yeah, me too. I was there, but it was different. I was me, but not me, but still me. Isn't that weird," she laughed nervously.

Damyen followed with her own excuse, needing to work on River's mech still. She left after Amadi, trying to ignore all the thoughts racing through her head.

* * *

A/N: Heehee. Things were getting hot there for a second. Too bad it was only a dream. Sorry. And no…we are not going to tell you what was a dream and what was real. That would ruin most of the fun.


	16. And now a word from our sponsors

Commercial

Jack stared at the people in the room. With the addition of Robert living there, they would need more business so he called a meeting to discuss how they could make more money or get more customers. "Doesn't anybody have any ideas," he growled.

Amadi thought hard, but couldn't come up with anything.

Warren sat quietly. He wasn't much of a thinker.

Robert admired watching Jack watch him. He failed to realize that Jack was watching everyone.

Damyen and Deli sat on the sofa, thinking the complete opposite of each other. "I think we should be creative and print up some flyers for the town! A pass the word along, kind of deal," Deli put in her fair share, already having the outline drawn up in her head.

"Fuck no. People hate that shit. Making our own song would be more flattering then that ad crap." Damyen cursed herself for saying that out loud. She was expecting that to be used against her in some way or another.

"Whatever we choose, I wanna be with War! The girls love the cute ones," Riv fluttered his innocent eyes.

"How about you just record me banging stuff around? Maybe people would be attracted to how fucked up I could make them," Damyen drawled sarcastically. Really, it would be another ploy to get willing volunteers so she could fight off some of her pent up energy.

"I got it," Amadi shouted. "Let's make a commercial!"

"Hmm...A commercial, huh?" Jack thought for a minute. None of the other ideas sounded any good. "Good job Amadi. A commercial it is."

Warren hugged River. "Can we shoot it in pairs?"

"How else would we shoot it, idiot? Amadi and Damyen are never separated and that goes for you and River, Deli and Ren and-"

"Me and You," Robert squealed as he glomped his love.

"I refuse," Damyen said, not open for discussion.

"No problem here. I'll be willing to tell Ren as soon as he gets off work," Deli smiled.

"As long as I'm with War, no objections," Riv stated once again.

"So does that mean I can't be in the commercial," Amadi asked with sad eyes.

"You only get to be in if Damyen is in."

Amadi turned to stare at Damyen with her big, innocent puppy dog face. Nobody can resist it for too long. It was one of the most powerful weapons in her arsenal.

Damyen pointed the gun straight at her friend. "One more word and you are dead."

"You don't have a choice," Jack told her. "You and Amadi are the main pair. You two do most of the work around here. You'll be the bulk of the commercial."

"Can I murder people?"

"I think I have a job where you can do that available," Jack said as he went through a file sitting on a table. "Ah! Yes. You get to kill people."

"What's the bloody catch?" She demanded. Jack never went without adding something of a trick.

Jack quirked an eyebrow. "No catch. I need you for the video. Plus, it will show that we are real business."

"That is one of the services we offer," Jack said blandly.

Still, it seemed too much of a risk for her to fully agree to this. "I'm not invested."

"I wanna be in the commercial Dai-chan so please, please, please, please, please~ will you do it," Amadi begged. She would keep going as long as she had to get into the commercial. After all, like Jack had said, they were the main workers there.

"I have work to do," Damyen ignored the pleading to go do some more planning for River's mech. It looked nearly perfect on paper, she just had to look over things and make sure it would be fine to build.

"Please, please, please, please, please," Amadi continued to beg. This was not going to stop until she got what she wanted. She felt like being 100% selfish right now.

Jack put some earplugs in his ears. He didn't want to hear this crap. Hopefully, Damyen would give in soon.

Damyen was glad to see she wasn't the only one in pain. From Jack's reaction, it was best to let it continue. "Amadi, if you don't shut the fuck up right now and let me work, I'll fucking strangle you."

Amadi pouted. "But I don't get to do anything like this often...ever," she corrected herself. "I really, really want to do this commercial."

"Then go and do it," she said, getting more annoyed than ever before. "You don't need to rely on me for a fucking commercial."

"But Jack said that we have to do it in pairs and you are my partner," Amadi cried.

"Well, screw Jack. I don't give a shit what he says. Go against the rules for once, Amadi." Damyen knew she would be apologizing for this later.

"But I only want to it with Dai-chan," Amadi pouted.

"I'll do it with you Amadi," Jack said, obviously hinting at a darker meaning to the words.

Damyen glared at him. "You've got Rob, or did you just happen to forget?" She spat at him, hinting at the fact that he was flirting like a slut.

"Don't get confused, Rob wants me, not the other way around."

Robert's mood and head dropped. How was he ever going to get the attention of the love of his life?

Amadi's face burnt, even though she wasn't sure why.

"I'll kill you, too, Jack." She threatened not so politely.

Amadi stared at Damyen. "Don't you think that's a little far. I mean, he just wants to do the video with me, right?"

Jack chuckled inwardly and smiled evilly at Damyen. These two were such good entertainment.

"Don't even, Jack," she said, unwillingly getting used to not calling him JackASS anymore. "One more and it's over," but who knew what exactly she was referring to.

"One more what," Amadi asked innocently. She looked back and forth between the two, but nothing gave this 'one more' away.

"Nothing, Moko-chan. Just a little friendly agreement between Jack and I, and he seems to be pushing it." Damyen's eyes narrowed. "But if he leaves Rob out, I'll have to team up with him and help him get Jack." And they knew how good she could be with secret planning. It could turn disastrous if it ever came down to that.

"It's not like you have to memorize any lines," Jack sighed. Damyen could be so much more difficult when he was asking for something. "Amadi will do that part."

"Yay," Amadi cheered happily.

"Oh, shut the fuck up, Jack. You just got scared cause I threatened you, which is why you aren't pushing it anymore." There was still a possibility that Robert appreciated the thought. After all, he was still a bit in the background.

"Amadi, it looks like I'll be doing it with you." He hoped Amadi would thank him if Damyen decided to do this thing. If not, she needed to do something to make up for it.

"Fuck you, Jack. Fuck. You." She looped her arm around Amadi's and sighed. "Come on, Moko-chan. Looks like I have no choice." And that pissed her off the most. Jack had all the control over her actions. Anything she disagreed with, he would use his powers of ass to force her to lean the other way. "I refuse to trust him with you."

"Dai-chan, it would be for the video," Amadi said innocently.

"Yeah. I'd love to make a video like that," Jack teased.

"I thought we were," Amadi said confused. "Does that mean we're not doing the commercial?"

"We are Amadi. We are. Just ignore what I said."

"Okay," she sang happily.

"Eat shit, you fucker," Damyen so proudly told Jack. "Never in a million lifetimes will you ever get that chance."

Amadi looked confused. "Am I missing something?"

"I don't know. Is she missing something Damyen?"

She flipped him the bird and mouthed, "Fuck you," silently. "Are we gonna do this damn thing or not? The longer we wait for the commercial, the more fucked everyone will be."

Jack clapped his hands together. "Right. I already installed cameras on Ai-chan and Damyen's mechs so all they need to do is fly around and do their job. The others will follow on foot with cameras so that we can get as much footage as possible. Everything you say will be recorded so no dumb comments from Warren, no sexual innuendos from River, and no stuttering from Ren. Deli make sure he stays soundless. Have a make-out session if you have to. Just make sure to keep the camera's recording the girls."

"We'll be stalked by cameras?" Damyen somehow didn't feel comfortable with that.

"Rest assured, Ren will be silent," Deli said with a smile, like always.

"And fucking recorded?" Damyen stood and started to get nervous.

"Relax Damyen. I'll only use what's needed. If you call me an asshole, I will not use that. If you say that you are in position or something, I will use that. It's an as needed thing. You can approve what I use if you really aren't that happy about it."

"I will take that offer." She had that right, after all.

"Fine. Let's get moving people," he ordered. "I wanna get this done today."

"That's what I've been saying." This entire planning thing was exhausting her. Well, mostly the fact that no one was listening to what she had been saying.

Amadi's mech blazed through the sky. Her 'Fuck the World' quote could barely be read, as it was a blur of black and red.

Damyen followed in her red and black giant of a machine. "Damn, I'm bored. Don't we have anything to do?"

"Well, we have a few missions. We're supposed to demolish a building and assassinate some people. The usual," Amadi answered.

"Alright! Let's get this shit done, then." Her faithful mech did a nosedive, happy to do Damyen's bidding.

"Right behind you," Amadi cheered as she followed her comrade. Together they destroyed a large glass building which probably killed a lot of people below. Their death certificates would say 'Death by giant mechs destroying a glass building and impalement.'

Damyen smiled in the midst of the destruction. "I fucking love this job."

"Me too, me too," Amadi sang childishly.

Damyen landed perfectly, climbing out and leaning against the leg of her mech.

Amadi did the same except she stood on her mechs foot. "Call 666-999-2012, for all your destructive needs."

The number appeared in red at the bottom of the screen and Jack turned off the TV. "Good job girls. Damyen, you could have done better. Amadi, you're a doll. Don't change a thing."

Amadi punched him lightly on the head. "Don't act like an idiot."

"Sorry, I had to get it out," Jack apologized. "What'd you think?"

Warren shrugged. "The girls did well."

"I was uncomfortable," Damyen said, not caring about the statement.

"At least we can get more business now," Jack said with a sigh.


	17. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Ren was just finishing up closing Mecha Rush when he had a surprise guest come to visit.

Purple haired Jadeline happily bounced in, twirling every once in a while in her blue summer dress. "Hey there, Renny. Just got done with the detail for Riv's mech...Dames let me go for a bit..."

"Uhh...hey to you, too?" He said from behind the register.

She leaned over the counter. "Yeah, and guess what I noticed?"

"Uh...what?" Ren answered a little afraid of what the answer would be.

"She was acting weird...both of them were."

"What are you talking about Jadeline?" The boy hopped up beside the register, half expecting to get yelled out by the old man. Of course, he got away with it.

She bent further in to whisper with a smile cemented to her face. "I think they might have a slight problem."

"Like...a big problem? Like...huge?"

Deli slowly nodded. "And I think I have the perfect way to get them talking again." Ren was willing to listen, in exchange for hearing everything that made her come to this particular conclusion. And he would enjoy planning something together.

Robert had 'accidentally' walked into the wrong room and was about to 'accidentally' sleep in the wrong bed with Jack. He snuggled into his warm, blue haired love and breathed in his cologne. It wasn't something cheap you could get just anywhere.

"Robert," Jack sighed. "Get the hell off of me and get the hell out of my room."

"You shouldn't use Hel's name in vain. She might get mad at you," Robert teased.

Jack stared at him for a moment. "Get the hell out before I throw you out."

Robert pouted. "That's fine. I just wanted to tell you that something is rotten in the state of Denmark."

"We don't live in Denmark," Jack said tiredly.

"I know, but I don't know where we are and that was a famous line from Hamlet."

"Just get to the damn point."

"Someone's not a morning person," Robert said in a sing-song voice.

Jack growled.

"Okay. Something's wrong with Amadi and Damyen." Robert gasped. "I wonder if one of them proposed. I hope I'm the bride's maid," he added excitedly.

Jack scratched his chin. "They probably just had another misunderstanding between one another. It's not rare for them. In fact, I'm pretty sure they always have something like that going on."

Robert pouted again. "Party pooper."

River sat up, gathering the blanket across his waist. He let out quite a large yawn and slumped against Warren, sighing. "I had a weird dream," his eyes glazed over, looking duller than usual.

Warren yawned as well. Why were yawns so contagious? "What'd you dream?"

River sat in his lap. "I dunno really...but I get the feeling that my sister is planning something..." He shivered just thinking about it.

"Then we should stay here and not get involved," Warren said as he nuzzled into River's neck.

His eye twitched. "That woman could blow up the entire city if she put enough effort into it...I'm more worried than anything else..."

"So it is decided. We're staying here."

The boy pet Warren's hair. "Still...if she's planning something..."

"If she's planning something then it will be dangerous...and that's all the more reason we should not get involved."

River sighed. "I guess we should..."

"Did you want to help her," Warren asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"...Not sure yet."

"Then I guess we'll just wait and see what happens," Warren mused.

"Means more time," River smirked, climbing into Warren's lap.

"Wrench," Amadi ordered.

Matt handed her a wrench with a scowl. He'd been helping her out all day. Rob ditched him for that blue-haired asshole and Amadi found him shortly after demanding that he help her fix Black and Red.

Amadi took the wrench and got back to work running her tri-weekly maintenance check. She already updated the software, now she was checking the software. Hopefully she would be too tired to have a nightmare later and she could sleep easily.

Matt stared at the purple haired workaholic. She had been changing things nonstop and the clacking and clicking had gotten on his nerves after ten minutes. He didn't bother complaining because there was something that she did that took his mind off of everything and he was about to have his head emptied except for one image.

"Why do they put those stupid parts so far in," Amadi grumbled. She reached as far as down as she could, but couldn't reach so she had to climb in so that her waist down was the only thing showing.

Matt smiled. _I'm such a pervert_, he thought happily.

Damyen walked in behind Matt, putting her arm around his neck and holding in place. "What was that thought, brat?" She whispered into his ear.

"I was just thinking how useless you are since she asked me to help her and not you," Matt said simply, a smirk crawling it's way onto his face.

That was a clack from where Amadi was and she climbed out immediately with her hand cut badly. "Damn it," she muttered. "Matt go get me some peroxide and band-aids." She looked over and saw Damyen hugging Matt and she blushed then glared at him. "That is, if you aren't too busy with Dai-chan." That was the Amadi equivalent of 'Back off Bitch!'.

Damyen pushed him away from her. "Hurry back. We have to talk," she growled through her teeth. After that, she paid no attention if he answered back or not. Her attention was placed on the glare targeted at her.

She looked up at Amadi. "What the hell is that look for? I didn't do anything to piss you off." Her hands went to her hips.

Amadi turned away. "I wasn't making a look. At least I don't think I was." She still had a scowl on her face. She didn't like how buddy-buddy Dai-chan and Matt were. She whipped around. "I thought you wanted to kill Matt, but it looks like you two are getting along just fine," Amadi said with a realistic, fake smile on her face.

Oh, it was like that, was it? It seemed like Amadi was fine with how they were acting. Damyen could play that game, too. Not caring about using Matt for an assitant instead of her. Obviously the girl didn't know her that well. "Well, funny, it was all just a misunderstanding," Damyen put on her acting skills. "He's just a kid. No need for someone to be so harsh, right?" The fake smile was there, but Damyen felt the twist of utter disgust flaming in her eyes. If Amadi didn't notice how full of bullshit Damyen was, then something was starting that would possibly tear them apart. She should already know this was all a lie, one big act. Damyen was harsher on kids then adults sometimes!

Amadi turned away again. She couldn't do this, not right now. She was still concerned with her dream, or what was dream and what was real. She was pretty sure by now that it had all been a dream. If they had really confessed to each other then they wouldn't have been fighting right now. "I'm sorry Dai-chan. Can you just leave me alone right now," she asked quietly. She needed time to clear her head.

"What the hell did you do to her," Matt asked as he handed her the peroxide.

Amadi took the bottle and walked over to the sink. She poured the liquid onto her cut and winced a little at the cold mixed with pain. "I asked her to leave me alone for a little while."

Matt made a sound that Amadi always recognized as the 'you-shouldn't-have-done-that' sound. "You shouldn't have done that."

And that is why she called it the 'you-shouldn't-have-done-that' sound. "Did I ask for your opinion? Get me a clean towel."

Matt sat the band-aids on a chair near the sink. "Bitch," he muttered before walking away.

Amadi took the bandages off of the chair and used her foot to throw it at him. "Watch your language brat!" She missed on purpose.

"What the hell?"

Jadeline passed by at the same moment, catching the chair as it missed. "Nice aim there, Mads," she said with a smile. "A little closer and Matt would have to be hospitalized for a bit."

Ren entered in after her. "I doubt the little miss was trying for that."

"I would certainly hope not." Deli didn't see Damyen anywhere. "Where's Dames? I originally came here for her." A lie, clearly. She wanted to see the reaction Amadi would give.

Amadi flinched, but smiled. "She went to her room and unless you want to die, I suggest you don't disturb her."

"She wouldn't kill me. Especially since it was by her request. I was planning on helping Ren out at the store..."

"But she gave us an emergency call for help. Looks like she was lying, though."

"Yeah. Everything is still intact. However...she was worried about the cut." Deli pointed to the bandaids on Amadi's hand.

"And didn't want to ask, since you asked to leave you alone."

"So we'll just be on our way back, then. Just make sure that you clean that cut out good for awhile. Damyen would've helped, but as we can see, Matt's so easily taken that place." Jadeline finished. Sure, she was happy go lucky, but when it came to the truth, she would go to any limit to find even the smallest of clues.

"I know how to clean a cut thank you very much," Amadi growled. "Now get out." She let off an aura that said 'if you don't get out of here in the next thirty seconds you would wish you were a P.O.W.'

River ran in excitedly, running into Deli. "Sis!"

"Hey, Riv. What's up?"

"Don't destroy the world!" He suddenly looked worried, knowing the girl had already begun her plans for Amadi and Damyen. "Please, not while my beloved is still alive!"

"What in the world are you talking about?"

"We already suspected, but I didn't think you would actually take it this far! If Amadi and Damyen get too angry...Please stop!"

Ren pat River's head. "No one is destroying the world."

River turned and looked at Amadi. "You mean, you aren't trying to get Amadi and Damyen so pissed off that they'll be forced to talk and then beat each other up with mechs, that at the same time would do so much destruction it would destroy the world?"

He was sorry he said that. Ren and Deli slowly backed up, River still protected in her arms. "We'll go now. Have a nice day, Mads." Deli smiled before they all ran out the door.

"What the hell was that all about," Matt asked no one in particular.

"Matt, where's the towel?"

Matt picked up a towel and brought it over to Amadi. "Here's you damn towel."

"Thanks..." Amadi wiped off the remaining peroxide and blood before wrapping it up in the bandages. She thrust her fist in the air and calmly said, "Back to work. Get me a screwdriver, slave."

Matt muttered something about getting revenge and handed her the screwdriver.

"Good boy," Amadi mocked before getting back to work on Black and Red.

Damyen stretched out in her bathtub, the shower head beating ice cold water down onto her. She hadn't even bothered to undress, she was so out of it. Why did they have to fight so much? It wasn't like they hated each other. But it didn't feel like pure hatred that she was sending out. The tears mixed with water, masking her inward pain, hiding her true emotions. It would all work out, eventually. There would come a time soon when they wouldn't fight, right?

Even if it cost her life, Damyen was determined to stay friends with her, no matter what. It was a promise, and nothing broke her promise. "Amadi...what the hell is wrong with us?"

Robert appeared by the door. "You're both idiots," he answered simply. "You over think things and...well you know Amadi, she doesn't think at all."

Damyen's eyes opened to stare blankly at the boy at her bathroom door. Her eyes were lifeless, plain and filled with emotional hurt. "What do you want?" She dead-panned. "It's not your business," her voice monotone. She didn't even try to stop her tears, or look away. She could already tell it was a disturbing sight to see her like this.

"I want Amadi to be happy and that is definitely my business. You have to suck and up and confess. I guarantee you she will be ecstatic!"

"What does it matter anymore? She doesn't come after me anymore." Nevermind the confession. If she was actually herself, she would have gotten angry and asked why Amadi's happiness mattered to him. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she was questioning that.

"What happened between you two? Why are you fighting all of a sudden?" Robert wasn't going to give up. "I want Amadi to be happy no matter what. She deserves it more than anyone I know and you are the only one that can do it, so suck it up and go propose to her already!"

"It's...it's complicated." Damyen stared ahead. "We're just not understanding each other, anymore. It's been so long...so long ago..." Damyen's eyes slowly closed and she slumped to the side. It wouldn't matter whether she was just sleeping or if the cold water and stress caused her to pass out. Either way, she would be fine. Just those dreams...

Robert sighed and rolled his eyes. "See, this is why I'm gay." He turned off the shower and pulled Damyen out of the bath tub. He dried her off, changed her clothes and tossed her onto her bed. He looked at her for a moment and an evil smile swept across his face. "I'm going to go talk to Amadi now," he said before happily skipping away.

Damyen grunted, too asleep to notice anything. _Where...where am I?_ She asked herself. Her old town, her trainer, her traitor...Her eyes widened beneath her eyelids. Fire, there were flames. She wasn't going to make it out alive.

Robert skipped down the hall and into the maintenance room. He peeked around the corner and saw Amadi fixing her mech and Matt scowling, but handing her tools as she requested them. He cough and ran in with an extremely worried expression on his face. "Am-chan!"

Amadi hit her head in the mech and pulled out of it. "What the hell? What do you want?"

"Damyen fainted," he cried out. He even had tears running down his face now. Robert was a talented actor indeed.

Amadi's eyes widened and she dropped whatever tool she had in her hand before rushing out of the room and sprinting to Damyen's side.

Damyen's forehead was hot, a mirrored emotion from what she was feeling in her mind. It's all on fire..

"Akiko! Akiko-sensei! Where are you? Chartile? Veira?" Damyen hurried around the area, finding survivors and hoping there was water close by. "Hey!" She spotted someone in front of her. "Help me stop this thing!" She called to the figure. A smirk grown onto it's face before disappearing into the woods. "Oh no! The trees, too...No way."

This was no time to stop. She had to save everyone. After all they went through...

"Come on, new kid. It's not bad."

"But..."

"You can't swim?" The shy girl shook her head. "Then come and stand here. I'll teach you!"

Her feet stepped into the water. "Ah!"

"Not too cold is it?" Again, she shook her head. "Name's Charise, but I prefer Chartile. It's better. Who are you?"

"Uh...Kise...Dariun Kise."

"Alright. How about I give you a specal nickname? Damyen...I'll call you Damy. Now let's get you swimming, okay?" The girl, now named Damy, nodded.

There she was. Chartile, so close to burning. Damyen raced the fire, pulling her out to safety. "You okay?"

Her friend coughed, a little weak, but stable. "Yeah. Give me a few, Damy."

"Akiko..he's gotta be alive still. Stay here," she ordered, braving the heat. There were several voices upstairs. He had to be with them. "Is everyone okay?"

"Yes, though we aren't able to get out well."

She opened the door. "I'll get you out. There is still time to jump out the window. It may be far down, but it's better then getting burned. Let's move. Chartile is there to help. I'll get you all out alive, even if my own is in danger." Akiko looked at her, the young girl more mature then she should ever be at that age.

"...don't...I'll save..." Damyen talked while she slept, sweating with a high fever. "Aki...akiko..."

Amadi burst into the room screaming, "DON'T DIE DAI-CHAN!" She stopped when she heard Damyen whispering something.

Amadi felt the jealousy bubble up inside. "Who the hell is Akiko," she muttered angrily. "Wake the hell up Dai-chan," she shouted before kicking the bed.

The sudden moving of the bed only heightened Damyen's sense of fear. "Go child. You are more important than I," the man said in her dream.

"Akiko-sensei...b-but, who'll teach me?"

"Seek the book. If my life ends here, it has my teaching soul. You will learn, even without me." She couldn't argue with him while the surprise ambush was happening. He had to distract the enemy away from his children.

Damyen nodded, immediately doing as she was told. Although the others didn't find her the friendliest, they still trusted her to keep them safe. The brave young girl announced her leadership, being at the front, telling everyone to duck on the other side of the room, hide where they wouldn't be found. She readied her defense, but nothing would prepare her for the weapon.

Not even her own gun could counter the explosion. Chartile had pushed her aside before she was crushed. And Chartile paid the price. "No..." Damyen whispered, crawling towards her friend. "Chartile!" She screamed in dream and reality. But she showed no signs of waking up soon. Every minute, every scream, every flashback, her fever increased.

Amadi growled. _Chartile?_ "Wake up damn it!" Amadi gave a swift tug on the sheets and pulled her friend off of the bed and on to the floor.

Damyen started to shake.

"...Yeah, whatever. Partner? Pfft, whoever heard of me needing a fucking partner?" Another flashback crowded her mind.

"It'll be good for you, Damy. I was thinking of traveling anyway. And besides...this place.." Chartile looked at the outstretched desert before them. What used to be their training ground. Not even a trace of ash was left in memory.

"Whatever," she crossed her arms over her chest, turning away from the sight of nightmares.

"You know her name?"

"No, but heard she was some purple haired obsessed freak...can't wait to meet her," Damyen sighed sarcastically.

"Don't be such a downer," Chartile lightly tapped her friend's shoulder. "After I leave, there will be no one else. Just you. It never hurts to explore and meet new people, right?"

"Right..."

Amadi's warm smile flashed behind her eyes, a sight in the distance. They were growing apart. Everyone left Damyen alone, eventually. It was bound to happen this time, too. But was it possible for her to tear away from Amadi now?

No, she didn't want to leave just yet. Akiko entrusted her with something, and Chartile expected Damyen to change for the better. Betraying Amadi would kill her.

"...Amadi...h-help," Damyen cried weakly in her sleep, her hand shaking in front of her face. Yet, she was still asleep.

Amadi blushed and crouched down in front of her. "Dai-chan..." She grabbed Damyen's hand to try and stop the shaking. "Wake up you dumbass," she said softly. _Then you can tell me who the hell Akiko and Chartile are...although, you did call out my name for help_, Amadi thought.

Damyen slightly flinched, her hand tightening around Amadi's. "Moko-chan..." She curled up closer to the girl.

"Dai-chan. Time to wakie wakie~." _Wake up so I can yell at you already_, she said in her mind.

"Ugh..." Damyen slightly lifted her head to rest it on Amadi's lap. "Mm...w-what?"

"Finally you're awake," Amadi sighed out. "Who the hell are Akiko and Chartile," she asked with an uncharacteristically unemotional face.

Damyen's head laid against Amadi's stomach. "Moko-chan." She was still shaking. "Moko-chan, make it stop...I'm...I'm scared." It was one of the first times she admitted her true feelings.

"Make what stop," Amadi asked with a blush. Damyen was being honest with her feelings...something was terribly wrong with her. "How? What do you want me to do?"

"The shaking...f-fight...e-everything..." By now, she was practically half in her partner's lap. "Amadi..." Her fingers gripped into Amadi's shirt, twisting around it and trying to distract her from the pain.

Amadi gave her friend her famous nothing-can-hurt-you smile and tried to comfort her. "It's okay, Dai-chan. Everything is okay.'

Damyen's eyes weakly opened, red and burning. "Please...don't go," her voice came through soft and almost untouchable, distant and so close. So much emotion and truth finally showing itself. Anyone who had known her should be surprised. And would know Damyen wasn't fully normal, and wouldn't be for awhile.

"I'm not going anywhere. I'll stay right here, with you Dai-chan."

A small, relieved smile appeared on her face. "Moko-chan..." Her arms wrapped around Amadi's waist, fingers curling into the extra fabric. "...scared..." She mumbled other things, but with the fever, she was in and out of sleep and awake.

"Don't be afraid. I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere."

Damyen was glad she was allowed to sleep in and out. "...too...real warm..." Her left hand trembled, her grip loosening on the shirt.

"It's just a fever. You need to calm down. That will cool you off a little. Clear your mind."

The words weren't getting through. Damyen had let go completely, her eyes closed to the darkness once again. There weren't anything in particular going through her mind. The nightmares were over, and now it was just static. Empty white noise annoying the hell out of her. Images from her dreams with Amadi, from the night before, times she shared with those she actually found important enough to remember. There were more bad then good.

Amadi pulled her friend back onto the bed and sat down next to her. "You're kind of a pain in the butt sometimes, usually when I'm not being one...I still want to know who Akiko and Chartile are. When you get better you have to tell me."

"D-don't," Damyen cried, not even wanting to relive those scenes. "Just you," she pulled Amadi closer, hanging onto her loosely while sleeping.

Amadi blushed again. "F-fine."

"She's important," the figure said, standing before dreaming Damyen. "You love her more than yourself. And everyone you know." He tipped his top hat in greeting. The gesture sent shivers up her spine.

"Who are you," she asked harshly. Only an echoing laugh remained within the shadow.

"Best protect those you care about. Wouldn't want to be all alone again, would we, _Dariun_?"

"How do you know my old name?" It was lost to silence. Whatever, or whoever it was had gone back to the depths of where it came from.

She woke up with a sudden jolt, her entire body twitching. "Moko-chan!" She screamed, glancing around in a rush for her purple haired companion.

Amadi shrieked in surprise. "Damn it Dai-chan! You scared the hell out of me." She held her had up to her chest like she was trying to keep her heart from falling out of its place.

She stared widely, blinking a couple times, needing to re-adjust to her room. "You...you're here...and okay..." Damyen wanted to cry. She couldn't show such weak emotions, though. But her body didn't listen, and she tackled Amadi down onto the bed. "Moko-chan!" Happy little Damyen, almost like she was a kid again. Well, if she ever had the chance to be a normal kid.

"I told you I was here." Amadi paused. "And why wouldn't I be okay?"

"Just...nevermind." Damyen smiled at her, almost a cheerful grin. "Are you okay?" She asked again, just to make sure.

"Again, I have to ask. Why wouldn't I be okay?"

Damyen shook her head. "Don't worry. You're fine, that's what matters." She hugged Amadi with a sigh and a smile. "What all happened? Last thing I remember was being in the bathroom..."

"Robert came into the maintenance room crying saying...it doesn't matter, you're here and you tackled me. Why did you tackle me? Who are you and what have you done with my Dai-chan?"

Damyen blinked, immediately getting off. "What the hell? What the fuck are you doing in my room?" She yelled at Amadi. Something weird was starting to happen, and though unaware, Damyen didn't like the eerie feeling she was getting. One look around, and she knew something else had ocurred. "Did someone drug me? I swear, if it was that brat..." She growled, hissing when she remembered seeing him with Amadi. "Ugh, why would you even want him to help you..." Most of what she was saying was meant only for her mind, not to be said allowed. However, it was said anyway. "Huh?" She felt her forehead, still burning and she fell back onto the bed. "Never been this dizzy before...What happened? I was just locked in here cause you preferred that brat's assistant over mine...I don't remember falling asleep."

Maybe she did. The stress could have been what caused her to have a fever, and that fever then in turn made her dizzy. Or did she lose time? "It's afternoon, right?" It was clearly later than that. The sun wasn't up. Her confused eyes looked to Amadi for answers.

"...fainted? So I've been _asleep_?" She did lose time.

"Sleep, awake, sleep, awake. You were switching back and forth. Mumbling stuff..."

Her eyes widened. The nightmares...she had been so engaged it seemed like reality, so there was no way to know what she was actually saying out loud. "Shit...I said something...I just know I did..." Damyen hoped it was anything she was supposed to keep secret.

"Don't worry about it. I only really heard two names anyway. It doesn't matter though." _Even though I'm dying to know who they are and what they are to you_, she thought.

Damyen glared at her hands. "Fuck..." She muttered. It was frustrating not knowing what happened every time she went to calm down. Maybe she should stop fainting from then on. "What exactly?"

"Akiko and Chartile."

"...fuck..." Thinking about it made her twist her hands into the blanket, a tight grip that turned her knuckles white. "Damn it...damn it...why..." She trailed into her own thoughts.

"It's okay. I don't care about that anyway," Amadi flat out lied. Of course she wanted to know who they were, but she trusted Damyen. If Damyen wanted to tell her then she would, at her own pace.

Damyen understood how it worked by now. Cool off, faint, get Amadi to freak, mumble while asleep, and needing to explain afterward. The never-ending circle repeating itself wouldn't really help anything. "Chartile...I-I...she..." The ungrounded girl searched for words. "Stuff happened...and then I saw her at Devil's Nest...but I don't understand."

"I told that it was fine. You don't have to tell me about them."

"I do, Moko-chan. It's got me all fucked up now...I had..." She swallowed, holding the pain back. "I thought she had died...and there she was, same old everything, still calling me Damy..." She realized later that it wasn't the best thing to say at the time. "That wasn't a dream, was it?" If her sense of reality was so rickety, perhaps Devil's Nest didn't even happen.

Amadi wanted to protect her friend, but she couldn't lie to her. "We did go to the Devil's Nest Dai-chan."

Well at least one memory was real. "What about..." _The confession_...Could she even ask about that? "Moko-chan," Damyen put her face up close to Amadi's.

"W-What is it," she asked nervously. A blush spread across her face faster than wild fire.

_I couldn't have_...Her hand loosened it's grip on the blanket, lifting higher to reach Amadi, slightly brushing the tips of her hair. "Thanks," Damyen whispered, pecking her cheek softly.

Amadi's ears practically shot out steam. "W-Well, s-since your feeling better," she sqeaked as she jumped up. "I'll just let you get back to, uh, whatever. See you later." She bolted out of Damyen's room before her friend could get a word in edge-wise.

"Hey Amadi," Jadeline waved, but the girl was too fast.

River was the one to stop her. "Yo," he greeted. "What're you in a hurry for?"

"Hurry? Who said I was in a hurry," she asked with a nervous laugh.

"You're really a bad liar. Follow me," River said, grabbing Amadi's hand.

"Follow you where?"

"Outside, where we can't be heard." Coming from a devious thirteen year old, of course it was going to sound suspicious, but he didn't want it to.

"I'd really rather not," Amadi said as she pulled back lightly on her arm.

River only tightened his grip. "Listen to me. I am being one hundred percent _serious_, okay? I may be a kid, but I know when the hell to cut it out."

"That's why concerns me," Amadi cried.

"Goddamnit, Amadi!" He yelled. "If you don't listen to me, I will make you." The glare of truth was a sign not to argue.

Amadi gulped and nodded.

"Thank you," River said. "Now, getting to it. About Damyen," he started. "And you."

"What about me and Dai-chan," she asked warily.

"You're not very good at this, are you?" River's hands went to his hips. "The whole jealousy thing...The one you most care for is ill, and you can ask about is the names she said? What the hell is wrong with you?" He was going to give her a lecture, no matter what Amadi said after this.

"You little brat. You were watching us? We don't watch what you do with Warren! Stay out of our business," she hissed.

"You aren't getting the point!" He yelled, already knowing of the echo.

"You aren't staying out of our business," Amadi countered.

"Because I know where she came from!" River screamed. He calmed down again. "Look, I've heard stories, alright, and if what I've heard is true, there is no way in hell she would want a constant reminder, and asking about who those two are isn't going to help your relationship with her. My sister and I...we've spent so much time trying to help rebuild that town, and when Damyen came along, a native from long ago...Well, there was so many rumors we wanted truth to." The boy stared nervously at the ground. "I wanted to just attack with question after question. Why she said she was nameless to that place, why she ended up there, what was she running from...But I could sense how ugly the town was to her."

Even little devious boys like River paid more attention than others thought. "She is who she is because of that place, and what happened. And before you ask, no I don't even know, only rumors. You've come so far with Damyen, as the rest of have, like getting her to teach a kid again, and cooperating with her partner. Following your jealousy could make her retreat back into her own mind, memories encompassing her to the point where she never wakes up next time."

"You weren't listening to our conversation long enough stupid brat!" Amadi punched him on the head as discipline. "I told her that she didn't have to say anything about them. I'm not an idiot!" Amadi growled at River. He had eavesdropped and then stopped too early, then tried to give her advice on something he didn't know everything about. "Don't talk about something unless you heard the whole story first. Got it," she asked with a cruel smile.

"Of course I heard all of it, stupid bitch! You still brought it up, creating more pain for her. You made her disgusted, asking right after she woke up. Things like that will make her hate you. Perhaps...that is what you are looking for," he cruelly smiled in return.

Amadi growled again. Since when did River get on her nerves? "Listen brat," she spat. A dark look overcame her features. "The past is something you can't do anything about. There is only the hope that you won't make the same stupid mistake in the future and I do not plan on making her hate me. You can bet your pink haired lover on that."

Being serious like that was too much for her. She couldn't stand it. She was too carefree to be like that for long. "I'm going to go finished the maintenance on Black and Red now," she finished with a smile.

"You can't run forever, Amadi! You are both hiding something and I'll get the truth eventually," he told her before she left entirely.

Jadeline snuck up behind her young brother. "River," she sighed.

"Sister...I..."

"Don't. Don't apologize. I know you have better intentions than they think." River nodded, falling into her arms.

Amadi whistled as she walked back into the maint. room. She froze mid-step when she saw a calm Robert sitting on top of a blushing Matt.

"Amadi," Matt screeched. "Get this guy off of me!"

Amadi looked at them for a second longer before breaking out into laughter.

"It hurts! Get him off!"

"Don't kill your son Robert," she teased.

"Amadi," Matt barely managed to growl out. Do you know how hard it is to growl when someone is sitting on top of you? It is very hard. "

Robert stood up and grabbed Amadi's hands. "How's Damyen," he asked with fake concern.

"I forgot how good of an actor you are."

He winked and said, "She fainted while taking a cold shower."

Amadi put a hand to her head. "Last time it was scalding and now it's freezing."

"She did it before?"

Amadi let her arms fall to her sides. "Yeah, but that was a while ago now. Anyway, why were you sitting on top of Matt?"

Matt walked up and pushed Robert away. "I was going to help you, but he suddenly tackled me to the ground and sat on me so I wouldn't get up."

Robert rolled his eyes. "You just didn't understand the situation."

"You could have just told me not to go," Matt hollered back.

"That wouldn't have been as much fun," Robert pouted. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw blue hair walk passed the door. "Well, seeing as how everything is fine now, I'll be taking my leave," he said quickly as he ran after his love.

Matt and Amadi both rolled their eyes and muttered, "Idiot."

Ren stepped in. "I see you both seem to better, especially you, lil' lady," he said to Amadi. "I'm guessing she is better as well?"

"She still has a fever, but she's not freaking out anymore," she replied thoughtfully.

"I would have killed to see her freaking out."

"I would have killed you if you saw her freaking out," Amadi warned.

Matt whistled and avoided looking in her eyes.

"Only the lady here as really dealt with it."

"If it were you beside her, you would be either dead, or critically injured," Jadeline said. She couldn't maintain a smile at a time like this. It seemed the emotion wasn't even reaching her face.

Matt folded his arms. Everybody wanted him gone. Maybe he would grant their wish...then again, that would be no fun.

Amadi watched as Matt's expression went from pouty, to kind of depress, to devilish like a Hitachiin. "Whatever you're thinking, don't. If you do something really stupid you will be kicked out, Robert's kid or not."

"I am not suggesting he do anything reckless. Anything could set Dames off." Jadeline said with a weary expression. Anyone would be wise to stay away, except those Damyen had already accepted.

"I'm not going to do anything troublesome." He smirked and put his arm around Amadi. "Especially if it would end up making Amadi upset in the end."

"Get off her!" River screamed, pushing Matt away. "Does anyone in this fucking place understand?"

"River," his sister attempted to step in.

"No, let me talk, sister." She nodded, and for good reason. She had begun to feel the same way. "Not everyone knows where we come from. My sister and I know the pain Damyen feels, and all you people can do is be jealous, or wait and see, leave it for awhile, and push everything! Acting like that will get you booted the hell out of here, even if I have to do it myself. We know the situation between Amadi and Damyen, don't make it worse." He put his head down. "Please, don't make it worse," he whispered.

Amadi peeled Matt's hand off of her shoulder and she walked over to Black and Red. She closed the hatched to the part she was working on earlier after checking to make sure everything was working before she climbed in and jetted off. These people were beginning to drive her crazy.

"I think she hates us all," Matt sighed. "Damyen better get well soon and go after her before something bad happens."

Damyen blinked awake, running out in a zig-zag, dizzy as ever. "What the hell is going on? No, let me change that. What the FUCK is going on?" Damyen slumped against the nearest wall.

"No, you shouldn't be walking around, Dames. Your fever is still higher than it should be and-"

"I don't care. What about her, huh? Do think I don't care what happens to her, that I only care for my own well being? Well, fuck that. Matt, outside. Deli and Ren, back to work. River, go hide with War. I don't want to see any of you until tonight."

Of course, they wanted to argue, however, it was smarter just to do as she said. River decided to walk with Ren and Jadeline. Whatever happened to Matt wasn't their problem anymore.

Matt obeyed Damyen's command for once. He was a trouble-maker, to say the least, but he wasn't ready to die quite yet.

Damyen took a breath in and stared at Red and Black. She had to get over there, whatever the cost. It took all of her strength, all of her breath to make it in one piece, and then climb into the cockpit. She turned on the comms. "Moko-chan," she said wearily. "You don't have to answer, just listen, alright?"

Maybe she could make a difference. "Everyone is gone. For awhile. I didn't quite hear everything, but I heard you. Is it something else bothering you? Why do you run when I'm here hurting? From the last time, you should know that I can't get better without you. Could..." She started coughing horribly. "Please return." She wanted to close her eyes so badly, but she was afraid of what she would see if she did. Would it be more memories, nightmares? Would the top hat figure show itself and laugh? Never knowing steered her fear towards sleeping.

"You'll be fine without me Dai-chan," Amadi said sadly. "You're stronger than you think you are and I'm not as strong as you think I am. I have to go take care of something and when I come back I promise that I will never leave your side when you're like this." She added that last part because she knew Damyen was going to get made if she tagged along all the time. "I need to go take care of something. You aren't the only one with a past that still haunts them today," she choked out.

After that she cut of her communication. People could talk to her all they wanted, but she wouldn't hear them. She had to take care of her past so that she could live for the future. So that She could live with Damyen and the others without worry, without fear, and without the constant nightmares. She had to go take care of Rachel...

"Fine...she wants to go..." It was time for her to go back, as well. Since she didn't want to see anyone, it was time for her to take a trip alone, to "Devil's Nest." She would track Chartile down if it killed her.

The nagging in the back of her mind told her she shouldn't go out in this condition, but there were answers she needed now. There was no need to dress up, so she wore her loose sweat pants with a t-shirt and jacket. "I'll fix myself before you get back, Amadi." She kept her communication device on, and planned to even when she stepped inside the bar.


	18. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Damyen finally arrived, all in one piece, barely. She had almost crash landed into the damn building, and wasn't able to fully avoid other obstacles on the way over. She already knew driving increased her fever even more. Any higher and she would need to go to a hospital for emergency medical attention. "Chartile!" The determined ill girl screamed upon opening the door. Every person inside stared at her awkwardly. "Is she here?" One man glanced away. Guilty as charged. Damyen strode right over, holding a gun to his head. "Tell me where she is, or I will be forced to do something rather disgusting."

The man shook nervously. "Umm...s-she," he swallowed and pointed. "She said she had to attend to business."

"What kind?" She didn't get an answer. She tilted his head back. "Where. Did. She. Go?"

"D-Dovente!"

"Not specific enough."

"The city of Rune! Rune, in Sector 11!"

"Very good. You know a lot, huh? Mind taking a little trip with me?" She whispered low in his ear. No man would argue with the barrel of a gun pressed to their head. He followed as asked, hopping in the seat behind the cockpit. "You close to her?"

"Uh...Y-you could say that. We're kind of like bar partners. We're just there when the other is. So we get to talking at least once a week."

"Tell me your name," she demanded, flying as if she were floor drunk.

"Zax."

"Good getting to know you Zax. You're going to help me capture your little bar buddy." Damyen smirked, flying faster to her destination. From the sounds of it, Chartile wouldn't be far off from where they lived. After the incident, the entire area was renamed. Dovente was just the main island, given to the general vicinity. Not many knew the individual islands. It was obvious that Zax knew things only because Chartile informed him. Damyen didn't even know the specific details. Jadeline and River would more than gladly help, but, it was more about her not being able to talk about it well. She wasn't strong enough to put old memories behind her.

"Like...like a hostage?"

She nodded. "Exactly like a hostage." Chartile wouldn't answer her questions without force. It already made her nervous thinking about the business Chartile had here. There was nothing left, only desert island inhabited by a different people than once before.

The gigantic mech sunk its feet into the loose ground of the island. "Sector 11. You know where she would be?"

"No." Zax shook his head.

"We'll find her." She clasped a GPS bracelet around Zax's wrist. "In case you want to run."

He was shocked when she pulled that out. "What else are you hiding away?"

"You don't want to know." Blue ringlets wouldn't be that hard to spot. Even if she was smart enough to try and go under cover. Damyen probably knew her better than anyone around. "Alright. What's around?"

"Anything specific?"

"Grave site."

"Uh...it's a little farther inland."

She didn't travel much, so it wouldn't be far from the coast. "Museums, any pools or lakes?"

"Altogether? Coincidently, there is a museum with a lake nearby. Five minutes walking distance."

"Lead to the museum." The boy nodded and did as requested. There were twists and turns through the back roads empty of people and travelers. With the museum in front of them, Damyen could tell it was place Chartile would go.

They entered just in time to see a strand of blue hair round the corner. "Chartile!" Damyen called, chasing after her. An employee went after her for not paying, but Damyen kept on running until she caught up with her old friend. "Chartile," she asked, turning her with a hand on the shoulder.

"Damy," the girl said in surprise. "H-how did you find me?" Zax followed after the angry employee. "Traitor," she glared at him.

"She had a gun!"

"You don't need to play nice anymore. You're going to give me some answers now." Zax apologized while tying her up nice and tight. "We're playing by my rules."

"Huh, figured this would happen." She was thrown into the hatch as they drove to a place they both knew. One that made them shiver with fear and nerves. Chartile fell out onto the dry ground.

"Remember this place?" Damyen pulled her to a sitting position by her hair.

"Ow!" The cool barrel on her temple made her freeze with everything she had.

"This place where you left. Leaving us to suffer alone. I put so much trust into you, into having a first friendship. And you killed it. Sensei almost went out himself to personally kill you for that stunt. I begged him otherwise, and he listened. You ain't a pro until you don't get caught. Such an amateur, you were," Damyen chuckled. Zax could only stand in the background, pretending he wasn't witnessing anything.

"I didn't-"

"Shut the fuck up when I'm talking!" Chartile swallowed, staying as still as she could. "I cried for you, thinking you were dead, murdered by the last raid. When we didn't find any body, and footsteps leading out, we knew. Sensei and I kept it to ourselves. Now I'm the only one left. And I might not intend to hide it from anyone. I might just post things all over telling them the truth about how you abandoned your best friend just because you were too much of a fucking coward to fight beside her." She shoved her cheek into the dirt. "Smell that? Huh?" Damyen shoved her deeper. "It's the smell of death and defeat! I buried every single person under this ground. Even Akiko, I buried him in his rightful place, at the top of this hill. I can show you his grave if you wish."

Chartile shook her head. She couldn't face that. "Too weak to face reality...Just like you," Damyen scoffed. "You still haven't grown up, have you? How many others have you left after me? Any of them die yet?" Zax looked a little guilty. "Ah, so you have?" She side glanced toward the boy nervously standing by the mech. Damyen's foot crushed her other cheek. "You're no better than dirt, scum of the worst kind."

"Please, listen!"

"Why? We both believed in you! It hurts knowing how you betrayed me, left me with people who despise me. After I saved them all, you know what gratitude I received? NOTHING! They still gossiped, pushing me away, saying how I didn't belong." She couldn't help the tears pooling in her eyes. The pain was still there. "Sensei accepted me as his only student. The chosen. And look what I'm doing? Half trained, using it selfishly most of the time."

"Damy-"

"Don't call me that!" She screamed, shaking her head. "Why did you leave? Did you hate me like the rest of them?"

"N-no," Chartile coughed out. "I never..." Damyen let her up to talk. "It wasn't my choice. I wanted to get out and see the world for myself, swim in a real ocean, and be more than an orphan."

"Something wrong with being an orphan," Damyen growled through her teeth. "You despise the poor life? Missed living rich so much that you went back with your real parents?"

Chartile's face showed pure guilt. "It was a good experience, and our friendship was not fake. I hoped every day that we would see each other again. They had found me, got a leak that I was staying here."

"So it's your fault we were ambushed? That's just great, Char! That helps me a lot! You know, I knew you were bad luck. I have a bad habit of not following my instincts." She threw her jacket off, having Zax catch it. Just when it seemed like she would show the girl some mercy, Damyen held her by the hair once again. "This time, it's different. I've learned better, live for only me, not caring what others think. If they hate me, then fine, I'll hate them back. They like me, alright, they get shown some compassion."

"And me?" She asked worriedly, and for good reason.

"You're in a special category. After all, I am contemplating killing you right now, in the hell that you so needed to be rescued from, perfect little princess. I don't give a damn if you have royal blood. I could murder anyone and not be caught. See, there is still a difference." Chartile's eyes widened in fear. Damyen cocked the gun. "I'm not an amateur. I'm beyond a pro level, it isn't even funny."

"Damy...you're not yourself right now, I can tell. You didn't act like this."

"People change. I've grown up, finding my own way of dealing with things. To get rid of my memories, I'll have to get rid of the things that cause them. Understand how that works?"

"You are more honorable than this, Damy. Akiko would say so."

"Akiko's dead."

"But his ancestor's aren't," a woman appeared coming down the hill. "Would you want your teacher to witness such a horrible sight while trying to rest peacefully?" Long, silky black hair, and dark indigo eyes. This must be...Could it be?

Damyen dropped the weapon to her side immediately. "Lady Umiko, I apologize." His loving sister, the only one left to look out for him.

"The girl is right, that you were more honorable, and in an act of betrayal, I understand stooping to such levels. I've been in the same position." She said, gracefully placing a hand on Damyen. "I wouldn't blame you, however, you would never be welcome back again, never able to return to your homeland."

"Of course. Sensei would never have accepted me as I am...I'm really weak, that's why...that's why I have to find another source of pain." Damyen began to shake again, in no condition for adding more stress.

"You are ill as it is, Haru-chan. Please, stop what you are doing. I will see to it myself that she is fairly punished, but murder is not the answer."

Chartile looked pleadingly toward Damyen. "Yes, Lady Umiko. As you wish. It would surely be Akiko's wish you are willing to take this on."

"Yes, my dear brother raised every one of his children to be respectable and strong. In his eyes, betrayal doesn't exist. Once committed, you are treated as such. And the laws of traitors have changed for the worse, I'm afraid. She will be served a dose of karma, on behalf of my late brother."

"Yes, Lady Umiko, I understand. I will leave her with you."

"I ask that you surrender your weapon to me." Damyen nodded, giving it to her without regret. "Please, close your eyes." She turned away, closing them tightly. "Be sure to visit again." A shot rang through the air. Damyen jumped, yet, continued walking. Lady Umiko wouldn't shoot to kill, but to punish. Chartile would be alive for a long while, and hating every second of it.

Zax climbed in before Damyen and they left, returning to Devil's Nest. "I never want to see your face again, hear me? Just be a better person than she was. I know she meant a lot to you."

Zax sadly nodded, slumping back into the bar. Damyen slid her jacket back on, zipping it up with the hood over her face. She drove home blind. Maybe not all of her questions were answered, and her pain wasn't relieved in the least, however, she had finally heard the truth. If Lady Umiko hadn't stepped in, Chartile would have been shot and buried with the rest of them, together as they always were in the past.

Without a word from anyone else who had returned, Damyen fell into bed, hiding under the covers without even taking her shoes off, and wept.


	19. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"Miss Kokoro," a voice shouted from behind. "Miss Kokoro."

"Seriously Rachel, you have to stop calling me that," Amadi said with a blush.

"You are my superior officer and my teacher, it is only professionally that I talk to you using the correct title, Miss Kokoro," the brunette replied.

Amadi turned around to see bright green orbs staring up at her. "Yeah, well, I'm not teaching you right now and I'm off the clock so how about you just call me Amadi like everyone else?"

"But I always learn something new when I'm with you Miss Kokoro."

"At least drop the Miss," she mumbled. "When have you learned something from me when I wasn't teaching you."

"You taught me that naps are good if they are thrity minutes long or shorter. I also know about your little spoon trick," she added teasingly. Everyone had always laughed at her superior officer for that, but Rachel had always found it cute.

"Anything else? Something of value maybe?"

"But Miss Kokoro, everything you teach me has value," Rachel beamed.

As Amadi's face burned up so did the memory. Her mind went blank until she heard a voice calling to her.

"Wake up Amadi. Come on, we're going to be late. Comander Lynch said we'd be suspended from duty if we were late again," Rachel said frantically. She placed her hands on Amadi's shoulders and began to shake her violently.

"Oh my gawd, Rachel! Stop shaking me damnit! If you wanted me to wake up on time you shouldn't have kept me up last night."

"Well, sorry," the girl said as she realeased her teacher. "Maybe if you didn't tell me you couldn't sleep I would have had to entertain you all night."

"Shut it," Amadi growled. "It's not my fault Monopoly takes so long."

"You should have just chosen another game, like strip poker or something."

"What," Amadi asked with a blush.

Rachel froze, a stupid smile on her face. "Uh, I said, you should have picked a different game, like poker or something."

"No, I think you said strip poker," Amadi said with an evil smile.

"N-no I d-didn't," Rachel stuttered as her face became a lovely tomato color.

Amadi's smirk grew wider. "Wow Ray. I didn't know you wanted to see me naked that badly."

"I don't," Rachel nearly screeched as she punched Amadi's head.

The memory faded and another began immediatly. Rachel was about to go into her first battle with Amadi. "Calm down Ray. You'll do great," Amadi said encouragingly.

"Says you! I'm a horrible pilot. Why couldn't they just have me watch you like last time?"

"And the time before that and the time before that," Amadi said playfully. "You'll be fine. I'll be right here to protect you the entire time."

"Really? You won't let anything bad happen to me?"

"Never in a million years," Amadi answered with a broad smile.

"Got any last minute advice for me?"

Amadi hummed in thought for a second and then smiled happily. "Don't die."

"Don't say that," Rachel whined.

Amadi laughed and the images in front of her changed once again. She was in her room playing stirp poker with Rachel. "Just because I can't lie, that doesn't mean that I can't play poker," she said with a laugh.

"It's not funny," Rachel whined. "You've won every hand so far. It's not fair. Liars are good at poker, not happy idiots who find it impossible to lie."

Amadi wiped the tears from her eyes and stopped laughing. "But being a happy idiot throws your oppenent of his game and now you learned a very important lesson."

"Oh," Rachel said with a quirked eyebrow. "I have a feeling you just wanted to see me naked."

Amadi turned crimson and dropped the deck she was shuffling. "W-w-w-w-w-what are you talking about? I definately don't want to see you naked. Not ever!"

"Really," Rachel said as she stood up. "Not even if I said I loved you."

"Not even...what? What did you just say," Amadi asked, eyes wide with shock.

"I said I loved you. I love you Amadi Kokoro."

Amadi landed in a forest. She wouldn't bother scaring the people of the town she used to call her home with her mech, she wasn't in the mood for it. It hadn't changed much since she left. The colors seemed duller, but the people stayed the same. Ignorant of a stranger walking through their town. Ignorance is bliss. She let out a heavy sigh as she navigated through the streets.

She cursed herself for parking so far away. Maybe she shouldn't do this after all. She stopped and leaned against one of the buildings. So far nobody had recognized her and she was very thankful for that. She hadn't been there is years so she hoped they forgot about her and she could make this trip in peace. Of course, her luck was never that great. Soon, very soon, someone would definately notice her and bust her.

All she had to do was make it to the cliffs and she would be done. She pushed herself off the wall and slowly walked back out into the busy street. A few people bumped into her, but nobody had called her out yet. Her goal was in sight. A cliff that stood high over a valley she had seen filled with death and hatred.

Amadi's inner voice screaming to go back. Just go home and try to sleep it off, but she was already here and she was determined to get over her issues. She closed her eyes as she walked up a small hill. At the top she would see the same thing she saw years ago.

She opened her eyes slowly and saw a large mass of people. The debris from battle had been removed and the area actually had a pleasant scent. For a moment she forgot about the damage that had been done to the valley, but as soon as she blinked it all came back to her.

Amadi held put her palm to her forehead and sat down with her feet dangling over the edge of the cliff. Quiet footsteps grew louder until the stopped right behind her. "It's been a long time," a deep voice said warily.

Amadi leaned back and looked up into the face of an old man. He was wearing what looked like an old military outfit in the colors of their country. It took her a moment to realize this old man was her teacher and commander. "C-Comander Lynch, sir. What are you doing here?"

"You seem surprised," he chuckled. "A lot of military personnal retire here."

Amadi scoffed. "You are such a liar."

The Comander raised his eyebrows. "You're right. It's just me and a few other alta cockers from a few of the nearby stations here. It's peaceful now and this town is nice," he stated matter-of-factly.

"That sounds nice. I've got my own place and it's not peaceful, but it's nice."

"Suits your personality perfectly. Pardon an old man for not sitting down, but I'm fairly certain I would not be able to stand back up."

"Whatever," Amadi scoffed as she stood up.

"You haven't changed much at all. Still trying to communicate with people on the same level." Lynch hummed for a moment and then frowned. "You never were very good with communication, huh?"

Amadi blushed. "I'm still not good at it."

"I'm sure in time you'll get better at it. Are you here for the memorial service? We'll be holding the ceremony tomorrow."

"That's right," Amadi said as she scratched the back of her head. "Robert said something about that the other day. I flat out told him no though."

"And yet here you are," Lynch said happily. "I'm surprised that boy didn't get in contact with you a lot sooner."

"He was the only person I gave my cell number to, but I told him that if it wasn't an emergency and he called me I would tear his head off so it's mostly my fault."

"Ah, yes. Some of that good old fashioned Kokoro-love," he laughed. The old man seemed to study her for a moment before saying, "Are you still blaming yourself for Rachel's death?"

Amadi froze. Of course she was still blaming herself, it was her fault after all. If she hadn't been so careless. If she hadn't let the enemy seperate them.

"It was a great strategy on the enemies part."

"Comander," Amadi nearly shouted.

He sighed. "It wasn't your fault Amadi. If anyone should be to blame it should be the military. Having children fight in wars is dispicable."

"The military didn't let their comrade die right in front of their eyes. The military didn't go through the pain of losing Rachel, of losing any soldiers for that matter. I did. I felt that pain." Amadi had long been crying now and she just couldn't stop the tears. As if she hadn't cried enough, here she was, crying some more. How much longer would she have to cry? How much longer would she have to be in this pain?

"A lot of people feel pain when their loved ones die."

"But I was responsable for her. I was supposed to keep her safe. I told her that I wouldn't let anything happen to her. Never in a million years-"

"And never in a million years did we think the enemy would be smart enough to pull you two apart during battle," the old man snapped. "It was our fault for not planning properly. For not training her seperatly from you. For doing a lot of dumbass things. You are young Amadi Kokoro and it is about time to live up to your name. Be a free spirit. Forget about the past, you cannot change the past. You can only make a better future so get your head together and start living in the present." The comander rubbed his temples. "You always did give me my worst headaches. I expect to see you at the service tomorrow, no excuses. It begins at noon." Having said everything he wanted he turned around and slowly walked away.

Amadi stood silently in awe of the old man. He always gave her words of wisdom before a battle even though she could never decipher the code in which he said them in. This time was different. He laid things out plain and simple. She would attend the service tomorrow if not for herself, then for Rachel. After that, she would pull her act together and beg for mercy from Damyen. It was going to be a long day tomorrow...

* * *

KK: Alta cocker (I have no idea if I spelled that right) is an old person...in case you were wondering. The spoon trick is referring to holding a spoon while sitting in a chair in a room with hard wood floors. The spoon would drop if you started to fall asleep and would wake you up making what you were doing a nap and not sleep.


	20. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

The disturbing squel of the door opening shifted Damyen's position under the covers. "Damyen." Jadeline sighed and closed the door behind her. Strong pale legs softly made their way to the bed. "Come on, we still got a lot of work to do for River."

The other girl folded herself into a ball.

"No more hiding. Amadi's not here to rescue you. And I am one harsh prince when rescuing damsels in distress." She forced Damyen out of the covers and held her on her feet to guide her into the shower. "Wash you up, maybe you'll sober up." Deli took her time washing the girl, since she was somewhere far away, not anywhere near reality. She had no idea what was going on. Only the horrific images of her and Chartile flashed in her eyes. "Alright, all clean, now time to wake you up. Warning, this'll be cold."

The faucet was turned from hot, all the way to ice cold. And a nice echoing slap connected to Damyen's pale cheek. "Fucking bitch, Moko-" she started raging, finally noticing it wasn't Amadi. "Deli?'

"Good," Deli smiled. "Let's get to work." She left Damyen to ponder for a moment, and felt a great sense of accomplishment when footsteps followed faintly behind her.

Zax sighed after emptying the mug, contemplating how in the hell he was going to get back home. Afterall, Dovente wasn't his home either. In fact, it had actually been so long that he couldn't really remember the name of his home town. Just pictures of a small village ran through his head. A poor community, off the bank of an old abandoned Indian Reservation.

As he was about to order another drink, a screaming frenzy erupted just outside the Devil's Nest. "Idiots..."

"Just be a better person than she was."

The words rang through his head like a slow motion train wreck. It's true that Chartile had abandoned him at one point, but her guilt lead her right back. And he wasn't apart of the chaos outside, so why should he care?

"Aw, dammit." He slammed his mug down, stuffing his hands in his pockets and slugging outside. A kid was cussing a storm, complaining to someone much taller and muscular. Then why did it look like the kid was the bully?

"Now what the fuck are ya gonna say. huh? This was my best shirt! You know how much this is worth?"

"Look, kid-"

"I have no time for excuses. I'm currently on a mission. Perhaps you can help me and I'll forget all about this." His mannerisms lacked respect, yet there was a mature air surrounding him that couldn't compete with the bigger man's physical appearance.

"Say what?" The man demanded infuriated.

"This girl," he held a picture of an older woman, "She's visited this place once, and I never saw her again. She traveled too far from home so I'm hoping she didn't get into some trouble. Have you seen or heard anything about her?"

Zax stepped out from the shadows to say something. "I've seen her around. But not here." The kid's eyes widened, needing more. "Down in the parts of Dovente, Sector 7, I think."

"What?" The kid pushed him away from the crowd back into the shadows, against the wall. "Are you sure it was Sector 7?" He whispered.

Zax nodded. "Yeah."

"That's the military base...tell me, has it been taken over at all by enemy soldiers?"

"No, but they did have her in chains. That's all I remember besides the eyes. I mean, you never see silver."

The kid's eyes widened further. She had finally been detained, all the way out here, miles from home, and brought back to live as a prisoner. So secrets were being kept from him. "You come with me." And with the serious, mature tone, Zax couldn't say no.

"I'm Zax by the way."

"River," is all the introduction he needed to give.

Jack's eyes fluttered open and he felt a familiar warmth by his side. "Robert," he breathed.

Robert snuggled into his love. "Hm?"

"Get the fuck OUT of my BED!" Jack pushed Robert off of him and onto the floor. "Che. Stop crawling into my bed."

Robert pouted. "But it's so much better than my own. It's cold and lonely, but yours is warm and it has you in it."

Jack blushed. "Hn. I don't care if your bed has rats in it, you sleep there, not HERE," he emphisized.

Robert stared at Jack silently with a serious look on his face. "Amadi still isn't back yet."

"How do you know? You haven't even left the room." Jack got out of bed and began looking for clean clothes.

"It's quiet. Actually, it seems too quiet. Maybe we were teleported to Silent Hill." Jack looked at Rob like he was an idiot. "You're right. It wouldn't be this quiet if we were at Silent Hill." Jack leaned against the wall with one arm and held his hand to his face (a.k.a. FACEPALM!). "I'm worried about her you know."

Jack sighed. He was worried about her too. He'd never seen her go off like this before. Being the stupid girl she is, she usually just brushes things off after a short crying fit. For her to be gone this long... "Eh, she probably just got lost again. She doesn't know how to read maps and she thinks her mechs GPS is just an, and I quote, 'an annoying beeping thing'. I'm sure she'll be back soon."

"Maybe she went there," Robert said quietly.

"Hm? Where?"Jack looked back at Robert who was still sitting on the floor.

"You're the one that found her there. That valley of hell where my sister died. There is a memorial service being held tomorrow. I asked if she would go when we were at the Devil's Nest, but she straight up turned me down. I wonder if she changed her mind."

"Knowing her, she probably forgot you asked her, went and fell asleep and Black and Red just flew there on its own. She hates that place," he added with a scowl. "And so do I."

"I don't think so. That remeinds me." Robert made a cute face. "Will you go with me to the memorial service tomorrow?"

"Why the hell should I go? I have nothing to do with it. I was on the enemies side, remember?"

"Yeah, but it's not like you really did anything," Robert replied blandly. "Plus, it's too depressing to go alone. Please," he begged.

Jack sighed. "Fine. But only because Amadi might be there."

Robert smiled and glomped his dream boyfriend. "Thank you," he nearly screamed. "Should we tell Damyen?"

Jack growled at the other man's lovey-dovey-ness. "Probably."

"Then I'll go tell her," he said happily as he left the room. He skipped all the way to the maintainence room. "Hey, Deli, is Damyen here?"

"She is here," Deli smiled.

Damyen ignored the speaking around her seriously focused on the metal work for Riv's mech.

"Though it's better to leave a message," not that saying it ever stopped them before.

"It's about Amadi," he said as he scratched the back of his head. "I think I know where she is."

Deli held her smile, eyes closed.

Clang, clatter, and bang. Heavy and sharp tools hit the ground. Damyen froze. She really couldn't take much more news.

"I mean, I think she'll probably be at a memorial service in the town I come from, but I'm not completely sure. Did you want to come?"

In a matter of seconds her hand wrapped around his neck, her eyes closed and unruly hair hiding her serious expression. "I'm sick of hearing her name," she deadly whispered through clenched teeth.

_I didn't even say her name that time_, he thought. "Stop acting like this Damyen," he said sternly. "You're not the only one that hurts you know."

"Do you wanna die?" She questioned, one posed to each and everyone of them, including herself. "Just go. I don't care anymore." And she quickly went back to her work.

"Damyen..." _Amadi would cry if she heard you say that...if she's not already crying. _"You need to go tomorrow. It'll be good for you. For both of you."

"It's not my fuckin' funeral." If she wasn't the one being buried, then there was absolutely no point in attending. Even if it was to see Amadi. Why should she care about someone who jumps into thing alone? It's not like Amadi actually needs Damyen anyway.

"You're being such an idiot," Robert shouted. He didn't shout often so when he did, he always had a good reason. "Damyen, Amadi does need you. She always has. Why do you think she cries everytime you get mad at her?"

"Then why did she go alone?" One echo and the air stifled to a hault. Deafening dead silence rang through and she felt herself losing more control. Soon, someone would need to hold her back, or they would need to run.

"You were sick when she left right? There's no way she would try to stress you out like that while you were in that kind of condition. Plus, you know what she's like. She won't try to bother you with her problems. When has she ever come to you with a serious problem? She's never seriously complained to anyone before. It's like she doesn't know how to."

"Which is just another way of saying she doesn't trust me, I know this. No need to fucking remind me, dumbass!" She threw her tools down with a heavy hand. And without another word, she retired to her room.

"And after all that work I did to get her up and out..." She glared at the boys. "You two will pay for this." And just as quickly, her smile covered it up, like it had never happened. "Damyen!" Deli called, running after her. She would make it a goal to not let Damyen sulk. Amadi wouldn't let it happen this much if she were here. And besides, Damyen had a load of work to do still. If anything, working would be a way of letting the anger out instead of stomping away to think about the situation by herself. Afterall, they all knew how well that always ended.

"Idiot," Robert muttered under his breath.

Amadi sat down in a small coffee shop. She wasn't much of a coffee drinker, in fact she never drank coffee, so she would probably get kicked out soon. She sighed heavily and pulled out her cell phone. She scrolled down the contacts list. There were only a few people. Jack, Robert and Damyen were actually the only ones. Damyen's name was highlighted and she stared at it for a long moment. "Dai-chan," she murmerred. "Are you still mad at me?"

"Hey genius, you have to dial a number first," a guy behind the counter said.

"Eh?" Amadi blushed. "I know that! I'm not going to call her. I don't want to bother her with my stupid problems."

"Oh," the boy mouthed, then a cocky smirk appeared on his face. "Girlfriend troubles, huh?"

"She's not my girlfriend."

"Oh...then it must be your dream sex girlfriend," he said with a straight face. Amadi went pale. The boy smiled again. "I was right huh?"

"Sh-Shut up! What do you know anyway?"

"I know how to make someone of the same gender fall head over heels in love with me," he smiled.

"Idiotic asshole," Amadi said under her breath. She stood up and walked out the door. Maybe she should take to coffee boy's advice and call her. Amadi swollowed hard. Surly Damyen wouldn't even answer because she was probably mad. A message wouldn't be to hard to get out right. Damyen would probably delete it as soon as she saw it was her anyway so she had nothing to loose really. She let out a shaky sigh and pressed the talk button.

Deli was having the worst time getting the girl out of bed again. "Come on, just a little more work-" she argued for the tenth time.

"Come off it!" Damyen screamed. Under the constant bickering, a faint ring could be heard, and the vibration that always accompanied it. Damyen angrily picked it up, yelling, "I don't speak spanish, and I'm not fucking interested in your surveys!"

Deli immediately stole the phone from her, answering respectfully and properly. "Hello, this Jadeline?"

"I-I don't speak spanish either," Amadi whined weakly. Why was Deli there? She took the phone from Damyen, who was obviously in a really foul mood. For some reason she felt like she would have to kill Robert when she saw him next. "Put Damyen back on please."

"Give me a good reason," Deli demanded, having Damyen's best interest in mind. Afterall, she was part of the reason why Damyen didn't care about life right now.

Damyen's eyes widened underneath the covers. This was no survey call.

"It-it has nothing to do with you Deli. I'm just making a selfish request okay. Hopefully the last I'll ever make so just put Damyen on the phone."

She cautiously glanced between Damyen's back and the phone. "Fine. But I swear if anything goes wrong..." Deli sighed. "I'll leave it." The phone was put in Damyen's open hand. "I'll be working if you need me." And the room fell silent.

Damyen was speechless. Her mind halted any and every thought process, making it impossible to even try and create a coherent sentence. So the girl on the other hand would have to settle for Damyen's breathing as a greeting.

"Dai-chan? Are you there? Um...I hope Deli didn't just set the phone down and leave. Dai-chan, if you're there then show me some sign that you are. Um...press a button if you don't feel like talking," Amadi said in a flustered manor.

"Uh..." She tried desperately to make her voice work. "L-long time...n-no s-see," she finally ended up saying.

"Oh! You're actually there. Um...I uh...I want you to...this is really embarrassing and selfish, but um, would you be able to come to the memorial service tomorrow. I think I really need you," she blurted out.

"Robert told me," she growled. "I'm hanging up now." Her finger reached for the red button.

"Wait," Amadi screamed into the phone. "Please come!"

"Why? So I can see you mourn the death of someone you care about more than me? So you can runaway alone again? So you can rub it in my face how much I need you?"

_Oh no_...She thought. Those words did _not_ just come out of her mouth.

Amadi was silent for a moment. "You're right. I'm asking for too much. I'm being way to selfish." Amadi sniffled and wiped some of the tears that had begun flowing out of her eyes. "If you hate me then you don't have to come." Amadi hung up. She felt a strong pressure in her chest and her knees buckled beneath her. She slumped against the wall of a building and hid her face within her arms. She had known for a long time that Damyen hated her, but hearing her say it was...unnecessary.

Damyen held the phone in her fist before throwing it across the room. Good thing she made her own indestructable cover. "I don't hate you!" She screamed over tears falling like rain. And Deli knew there was no point in trying. Everyone knew at this point to leave her be.

River entered his home, Zax following behind. "I'm back!" He sang loud. "Anyone here?" Not even his own sister came to his call. "Oh well. They're probably hiding somewhere. Let's find someone."

"This place is huge," Zax whispered in awe.

"Not when you get down to it." He knocked on Jack's door. "Iceman! Time to play!"

Jack threw the door open. "What do you want brat?" He noticed another presence behind him. "Who the hell is this?"

"Another playmate," he answered cheerfully. "Is Amadi back yet? She would be thrilled to meet another person! His name is Zax, by the way. And this is Jack, but it's funnier to call him Iceman."

"Hey," Zax shyly waved from behind.

"Brat," Jack cursed. "No. Amadi's not back yet, but we have a pretty good idea about where she might be. Why the hell did you bring him here?"

"Oh, that's not important. I'm gonna go find my sister." River grabbed Zax's hand and ran off the other way. Of course on the way, he heard Damyen in her room, locked as usual.

"Oh man," he sighed. "This also happens a lot." Zax just nodded. "Sis! Where are you?"

Deli shoved everything under the table, hiding the project as much as she could. "Hey River," she greeted happily. "I was just practicing some metal work. Never know when they need help around here. Who's this?"

"His name is Zax. Picked him up outside of Devil's Nest. We got to talking and had alot in common."

Deli noticed the harsh narrow of his eyes. "Really? What do you have in common?" She put the gaze right back onto River. They needed to talk later.

"Just stuff."

"Alright, well, don't get into anything, and leave you know who alone."

"Yeah. Where's Warren? I have to show him Zax."

"You know, I'm not really sure. Did you ask Jack?"

River shook his head. "He was in a mood."

"He might be out. Just feel free to show him around while you wait for him to appear."

"I was planning on giving him a tour!"

"Alright." And River pulled Zax along to give him the ultimate tour.

Matt sighed and walked in on Warren as he was geting dressed. "My eyes," he screamed as he covered them.

Warren growled and pulled his coat on. "I'm not naked dumbass."

"I know, but you're just that ugly."

_Don't snap and kill him_, Warren thought. He pushed Matt out of the way, using his bulky size to his advantage. "River," he called out in a lovey-dovey tone. "Where are you my love?"

"Warren!" River happily yelled, running into his arms. "I brought someone home for you to meet. His name is Zax. I met him outside Devil's Nest and we just kinda bonded. Cool, huh?"

"Bonded...Bonded how," Warren asked a little on edge.

"Zax is such a retarded-" Matt froze. He looked at the tall lean, but muscular, man standing in front of him. His hair was short and chocolate brown colored. His eyes were orbs filled with the brightest blue color known to man. It almost looked like they would change when he showed his different emotions. this was probably the sexiest man he had ever seen. Wait! Did he just call another man sexy? Not only that, but the sexiest man he had ever seen? No! This was not happening to him! Calm thyself, he thought. "Name," he finished quietly.

"We only talked. And I'm not old enough for a bar, so I figured I could bring him home and we could talk some more. I'm low on people to play with."

"And this is?" Zax asked. "Someone rude, obviously." The first impression for Matt wasn't so great.

"Oh, Matt. I don't know how he ended up here. Robert adopted him or something, so now he's here, causing a bunch of trouble, instead of on the street. Robert is Iceman's boyfriend."

"Matt?" He stared at him for a moment. "He seems like a pain."

"He is a pain," Warren confirmed.

Matt blushed. "I'm a teenager. Being a pain is my responsibility to the world. And Jack is Robert's dream sex boyfriend. Get the facts right little brat." He looked back over Zax one more time. Not an ounce of appeal...or maybe he was in denial.

"So am I, but I'm not nearly as bad as you," River protested.

"Why do I feel like pinning him and beating his ass senseless?" Zax blurted. And yeah, he meant it to sound like something else.

"Just don't use our room," Warren said happily.

"Please tell me you didn't mean that in a dirty way," Matt gulped.

"Oh no, I have no shame. I would do right out here in the public area."

"I wanna watch!" River announced with a smile.

"Yeah, you can video tape it for all I care."

"I think you're taking this joke to far," Matt said as his face grew redder.

Matt turned pale. Not. Cool.

Warren kind of enjoyed their little tease/threaten Matt session. Usually he was on the receiving end of this kind of thing. It was good to be on top for a change.

"It might be a little bloody, but I might take pity and go easy on him. Since he's a little like fresh meat," Zax licked his lips. "That gets me going more than anything."

"I have to go buy a video camera now..." River thought to himself.

"I'm just going to leave now," Matt said as he backed away slowly. Although, he had to admit that Zax licking his lips wasn't such an ugly sight to behold

"But I was just getting started." His tone changed and he suddenly seemed more...seductive. The taboo incubus.

"You should stay and play with us Matt!" River joked.

"Yeah Matt. Stay and play."

"No chance in hell," Matt shouted as he turned around. Don't you dare fall for that pretty face Matt, it's not worth it, he tried to convince himself.

Lively blue eyes stared hard at Matt's back, calling him back. Zax waited to see if Matt felt the gaze.

Matt felt as if someone had put his entire body on pause and he turned around and shouted, "What are you looking at?"

"One to zero, son, and I'm afraid you are on the losing end. Better try harder to score a point."

River clung to Warren, observing with great interest.

Matt stuffed his hand in his pockets and growled at Zax before leaving, for real this time.

Zax's eyes stayed on him while he left. "Looks like I need to teach him some lessons."

"Oh yeah! I have something that can help with that."

"Really?"

River nodded. "Uh-huh. It's what we've studied for Mechs, but it pretty much applies to everything. It's called the-" Deli came up behind him, muffling his sentence with her hand.

"Big Book of Everything," she awkwardly finished.

An eyebrow lifted. "Right...Now what is it really called?"

"The big book of everything," Deli silently asked Warren for assistance.

Warren nodded. "It's the big book of everything." It wasn't a lie per say. It was a very big book and it did teach him everything it was meant to...

Zax nodded, not believing a single word they had said. There was something fishy about this big book, and he would eventually know what it was but it wasn't important right now. "Riiiight...so anyway, what am I doing here?"

River smiled. "Oh yeah, that reminds me...Hey, War, could you keep Zax company? I have to talk to my sister."

"Fine." I'll just have a nice little conversation with Zax about our little Matt, he thought.

* * *

A/N: and we'll stop there. Have fun peoples and until next time...uh...leave a review I guess. It makes us writers very happy peoples and it makes up work faster to get more chapters out sooner.


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